A friend is a person with whom you have a platonic bond of mutual affection. The cornerstone of most people's lives is friendship. As most people journey through life, they discover that as we change, our friends often change with us. However, this can be overlooked because when our passions and beliefs change, the people we tend to associate with change as well.
Change isn't always necessary, nor is it frowned upon, but meeting new people can be healthy for multiple reasons. Finding out what you want to accomplish in life, and what you believe in doesn't mean you shouldn't be friends with the people you grew up with, or met at college, but what you want to accomplish in life and your stance on subjects should have some alignment with who you associate with, and who you can rely on.
Friends should challenge you.
Friends should challenge you to open your eyes to new beliefs and ideas. Agreeing with everything you see isn't always beneficial, as you can never see opposite points of view. Surrounding yourself with people unlike yourself can open you up to new reasonings, cultures, or even, open your eyes to religion. Being involved with different individuals should be an enlightening experience to learn more about others, and how their culture can influence you, but also challenge you to accept that your way isn't the only way.
Friends should bring out adventure.
Life isn't meant to be spent inside, which is why having friends who motivate you to make the most out of your time is what I consider to be the most important factor of good friends. I believe in the motto, "happiness isn't achieved alone." Having friends you can call or text at 3:00 AM who are there to do something spontaneous are friends who everyone should have. Everyone has someone you can rely on, but friends who you can relate to on multiple levels, such as interests,
Friends should be some of the first people you can rely on.
Family, or a significant others are the people we should always be able to rely on when dealing with problems or praises, but friends should also be able to be relied upon as well. At times friends are the best people to disclose information to, which is why having friends who you can rely on who will always be there, and who are trustworthy is essential. Having friends you know you can rely on who will give you sound advice, or set you straight when seeking guidance is important, but it is also important to have friends you admire.
Life is better spent with friends, which is why everyone needs friends who you can call at any hour of the night to go out with, or ask for advice. Friends should be people who you interact with to challenge who you are, and why you are the way you are. Experiencing changes with who you are friends with isn't always a bad thing, as we change what we want to see and do in life.
