“True friendship is never serene.”

Marquise de Sevigne

As we are rarely at unison with ourselves, and as we are often even slightly at odds with one another in marriage, true friendship is no bed of roses.

Proverbs speaks a lot about this rare ability for friendship to extract the best out of us. Iron sharpens iron (27:17); and, wounds from a friend can be trusted (27:6).

True friends are not bashful in telling us how it is; they do speak the truth in love. If we are safe within ourselves, beyond feeling vulnerable Freundschaftstest initially, we’ll appreciate the risks-of-intimacy they take; the candour of their care. They would not speak so candidly if they didn’t care.

True Friendship – A Relationship That Withstands The Years

As a weather-beaten fence attests to the quality of a decent whitewash, our friendships also attest to their ability to withstand conflict and move on beyond it.

A friendship that lasts and lasts, enduring decades, till death does it part, is not only a blessing to both, but also it’s a testimony to the maturity in both individuals; to their tenacity to get through conflict; to their commitment to follow-up; to their energy in investing in the relationship.

True friendship can withstand more than other more tenuous relationships. True friendships reward courage and they give good value for honesty. We can afford to sow in integrity, and when integrity is important to us, it’s fantastic to be free to be our authentic selves. Friendship like this is an extension of the comfort we can have in being with ourselves.

Being Patient Through The Tough Times

Friendships are a joy when they are going swimmingly, but when two are opposed, understanding fractures, and trust is at jeopardy. All the more important at those times is respect to not burn our bridges.

All friendships will be tested. And the test will be the test of the strength of the relationship. If the friendship is truly important we’ll find ways of making concessions or we’ll find ways to negotiate our way out of trouble. We won’t give up. Yet we won’t also sacrifice our sensible needs with a friend who won’t respect the mutuality of needs – what the relationship deserves. Friendship runs both ways in general equality.

Meaningful Friendships That Lasts Forever – Tips For Close Relationships That Stand the Test of Time

Day by day, month by month, year by year, each person crosses the path of many other people. In some cases, like at work or their kid’s school, or community clubs like church, Little League, or Boy Scouts, a person may form some regular acquaintances leading to meaningful conversation and camaraderie built around a common interest. Still, rarely do any of these acquaintances evolve into a more substantial relationship. This article talks about some of the characteristics common to a close, long-lasting, meaningful friendships that stand the test of time.

Meaningful Friendships Include Admiration and Trust

First, meaningful relationships that last forever begin with mutual admiration and trust. Admiration and trust are developed through high degrees of personal consideration. Personal consideration is when each person believes the best of the other and is willing to give each other the benefit of the doubt. This means that close friendships overlook little sins and nagging idiosyncrasies and see the whole person as worthwhile; a valuable part of their life.

Close Relationships Include Appreciation and Grace

Second, close friendships that stand the test of time are built on mutual appreciation and grace. To show appreciation means to be grateful for the opportunity to know the other person and be their intimate friend. To be gracious means that when the other person does something out of character, the loving friend is quick to extend forgiveness. If the offense is a glaring problem, the friend who did the wrong is not upset when approached by the other, because they have a bond that has been fortified over many years.

Meaningful Relationships Keep in Touch

Next, intimate relationships are built and maintained through frequent contact. The amount of contact may vary depending on the friendship; for instance, for ladies frequent contact may mean catching up once a week whereas for men it may mean once a month or every two months.

Close Friendships Practice Active Listening

Active listening was first recognized by psychologist Carl Rogers who called it empathic listening. Listening with empathy means that a person listens while feeling with the other person (Segal, 1996). Empathy is different from sympathy for sympathy means “to feel sorry for” another person. However, to feel with another person means that the listener suspends judgment and attempts to understand from the speaker’s point of view. Long-lasting meaningful friendships that stand the test of time are forged between those who are willing to suspend (at least temporarily) their own feelings about a subject or event in order to put themselves in their friends shoes. Active listening also includes giving clues that the person is being heard like re-phrasing any thoughts shared for clarification and asking appropriate questions to understand the feelings their loved one is trying to express.

Few acquaintances turn into long-lasting, meaningful friendships. This article has shared some of the characteristics upon which close friendships are built and stand the test of time.

How You Can Test True Friendship

Testing the loyalty of those you call your friends is not a bad idea. Getting a true friend is not a child’s play but if you know the test of true friendship, the burden will be made lighter for you.

You can test true friendship by discussing controversial issues with your friend. It could be politics or religion and your discussion will go a long way to show if he is a true friend. Even though your opinions may not be the same on different issues, it should be understood that the two of you are entitled to your opinions. A true mate will not harass you to change your mind or belittle your views. Differences in ideals or philosophies should not ruin true friendship for any reason at all.

Another way of testing your friend is to entrust him with a secret. Trust is a very essential aspect of true friendship and a true friend should be able to keep your secret under any circumstance. If you discover that your secret has been divulged by the one you refer to as your mate, he is definitely not a true friend. It may be fun to gossip about others but not spreading news about ones mate.

You can also ask for a huge favor from your friend and you should ensure that the favor will be inconvenient for him. You will be Freundschaftstest able to know how far he is willing to go to help you out in difficult situations. A true friend will be ready to do things for you not minding the difficulty he will pass through in doing so. However, you should not abuse the special favors that he wants to grant you so that your relationship is not jeopardized.

Furthermore, you should be able to tell him the truth in such a way that his ego will not be damaged. If he survives your honest truth, it means that he is a true friend. You should not praise him to his face and laugh at him at the back. The ability for you to be honest with yourselves is a test of commitment to true friendship. You should also lend money to your friend and take note of how he pays back. If he pays back in a timely manner, it means that he is a true mate but if it is in the contrary, the handwriting is already written on the wall for you.

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