Recently, I had a friend come to me for advice with their relationship. I couldn't help but think how funny, or rather ironic, it was that me, of all people, was the one giving them advice. I've always kind of been the third wheel in their relationship, but I didn't mind it. They are two of my closest friends. I realized that I have been the single friend giving advice to my dating friends before. Plenty of times, actually...

Overall, it's a compliment:

They know they can trust you.

Which, all right, you would hope that they, being your friend, would trust you, but this is a genuine, heart-warming trust.

They know you will listen.

Listening skills are a must, but this is a characteristic of listening and comprehending what your friend is saying on a level of knowing what to say when it's their turn to listen.

They know your advice will be golden.

Because of your impeccable listening skills, and the fact that you know your friend better than you know yourself, they expect nothing less but sound advice from someone who listens and whom they trust.

They also know you will be straight forward and realistic.

Not only will you give awesome advice, but you'll leave out all the clichéd bunch of crap that other people throw at them. In a way, you can talk some sense into them if they need it, or tell them like it is if they're not seeing the same problems that you could be seeing.

Whether you are the single friend giving the friendly advice, or the hopeless romantic looking for answers, everyone has experienced or encountered that one relationship guru who isn't even in a relationship.