On Friendship...

One of the most daunting tasks of our daily lives, keeping up with all the various people we know, from our best friends, to frenemies to drinking buddies, to classmates; what makes a friend a friend?1

First, a friend is someone who will listen when you talk, and that you will listen to when they talk. A friend will never 'hate' you. A friend will never leave you in the dust for the newest fad. And lastly a friend doesn't judge you, whether you are fat or skinny, tall or short, smart or dumb, and especially on more controversial subjects, like religion or politics.2

Second, a GOOD friend is one that has your best interests in mind. For example, if friend X likes friend Y, but friend Y has a boy/girlfriend, the average friend would pray that they would break up, but a devoted friend will not allow themselves to employ such cruel and selfish thoughts. Many a time, this requires self examination, more than it requires examination of said friend. Many people I knew (and I used to be like this too, but thought has set me on another path) only had THEIR end results in mind, and not the benefit of their friend.3

Third, a GREAT friend should not allow their friends to make stupid mistakes, no matter how factual or faith-based these may be. A GREAT friend preaches anything that they think can save, or even improve the life of their friend. For me this means preaching my religion, since I believe that going to heaven should be goal #1 in life. In this situation, a friend should actually be stubborn, or at least a little assertive.4

As a famous magician, whose name evades me, once said "How much do you have to hate someone not to tell them something that you think can save their life?" For me that was the beginning of a new Kevin, the turning point in my life, led for myself only. From that point, I have done anything and everything possible to protect my friends from an eternity of pain and suffering, which I believe is eminent if you are not Christian (Please don't argue, this is my belief, if you want to argue, take it to AllPhilosophy).5

I pride myself on being a new breed of friend, one who is not so self-absorbed that they don't even know their friend is talking. I pride myself on always caring, on always being a go-to guy, a shoulder to cry on, an amateur therapist available through AIM, whatever. I pride myself on being someone I would want to be friends with. 6

Friendship is a powerful thing. Friendship can unite worlds, break down societal walls, rewrite civic code, force deep questions, and make the world a better place. As well, friends have the power to cause immense hurt, to build up walls of emotional impunity, to solidify painful wrongs, to cause moral injustices that go unseen, and to turn the world into an even worse place than it has already become.7

So for my closing sentence, I want to ask you, Are you being an okay friend, a good friend, or a great friend.