I often see many people call each other "best friends" and then they'll go behind each other's backs and say terrible things about the other. That is not true friendship, but it has become the norm in this generation. Unfortunately, a lot of us have been in situations like these. Not only does it make you feel hurt and betrayed when you find out someone you trusted was sharing personal things or speaking badly about you, it just goes to show that this person is not who you thought they were.

Throughout my 20 years of life, I have learned a lot about friendship. I have made plenty of friends, lost a few along the way, and there are some friends that became family to me. I can honestly say that I have tons of best friends and I have learned how to make, develop, and keep friendships.

The secret to friendship is as simple as this: stay trustworthy, stay in touch, and make time for one another.

Trustworthiness is essential in any type of relationship. Your friend is going to confide in you, tell you things about their families, love life, etc. That is not the world's business and I'm sure your friends tell you not to tell anyone else about those things. Don't break their trust by sharing your friend's secrets and personal stuff to other people.

Staying in touch in this day and age is honestly not hard at all. With all the technology and different social media platforms out there lately, you can find a way to reach out to your best friends. I have quite a few best friends that live in different states and we always stay connected and catch up on each others lives. This way your friend knows you still value their friendship and still want to be there for them.

Making time for one another can be difficult, we are all busy with work, school, family, and plenty of other things. A huge part of every friendship is making time for each other. Even if it's just for a quick cup of coffee, hanging out with your friends is fun and it's the best way to stay up to date with each other. Spending time together gives you both reassurance that you both still value your friendship.

Friends fight, things happen, and sometimes we need to go our separate ways. I have grown out of friendships and stopped hanging out with people that were headed down the wrong path. Friends grow apart, but in order to make sure you keep the good friends around be trustworthy, stay in touch, and make time for your friends.