How to be a good friend? Any rules for friends? How to treat your friends? What not to do? What are the to-do's?
For what I'm about to say is all coming from experience. I am not telling you to forcefully do or don't do all this. This is my thought on friendship from my point of view.
For the past 2 and a half, almost 3 years now my social life have gone through the sky and mud. I had my best friend leave me as a friend and stopped contact with me over night. When my best friend stopped being my friend, our mutual friends went all to them. So, before I get too detailed, I just wanted to say that I went through a while without having anybody there for me. I had no one to talk deeply with. I had no girlfriends to go to the mall with or just do girly things with. I haven't had a girlfriend for almost 3 or 4 years now. Let me tell you all this... when everything was going perfect, I thought to myself that I will never lose my friends. They always have me and I'll always have them. Now that I look back on it, I took them for granted. I saw them everyday. We were all more than welcome into each others homes. I saw them as family, we saw each other like family and I still feel like I took them for granted.
Now that I experienced having nobody there for me and always having somebody there for me, it taught me a hell lot about friendship and life. If I haven't experienced with always having somebody there for me then I probably would never know how much friends affect your life in a good way! I saw them as my own siblings and I truly cared for them. I am so incredibly thankful that I had that deep of a connection with such loving friends. Now I know these things do exist.
If I haven't experienced having not one soul with me during the lowest point in my life made me so damn strong. It made me grow up. I know that nothing lasts forever, no matter how sure and perfect I thought everything were. It made me build up walls within myself and yet it made me have open arms to strangers. It made me realize that I should be friends with whoever is nice to. Not because of their status or how they look. I don't care about that. No matter how pretty a person is or how rich a person is does not mean a thing. Maybe they are the biggest jerk you've ever met or maybe they are the most genuinely, down to earth, realest person you've ever met.
Now... to answer the questions from above.
How to be a good friend?
Deeply care for them. Friends will be there when you're at your lowest. Friends are the ones that are gonna be there when you break up with that jerk. Okay, maybe I said that 'cause I'm being bias but, that is true though. If you always followed your lover what's going to happen when you two break up? Your friends won't because you ignored them and put them in the back burner because you "think" they will always be there.
Any rules for friends?
One must understand one's situation. One must rethink a big decision made upon another. Do not ditch your friends repeatedly because "you two are good enough friends that they'll understand" no, it's the principal of it. You two made plans, follow through. Look forward to being with them!
What not to do?
Do not leave a friend for a lover. I mean if your friend tried to break you guys up 'cause they're jealous of the other person then by all means do whatever you need to do. What I'm saying is if your friend has done nothing between you and your lover, rethink before you do something. Do not NOT help a friend when they need it. Whether it be a talk or showing up for something.
How to treat your friends? and What are the to do's?
Honestly, from my experience I treat anybody new with care. I'll already have full respect for them until they show me otherwise. It might take awhile for them and I to be close friends but, I treat my close friends like they are my family.
So, take good care of yourself. Choose your friends wisely. Do not treat them like they're always going to be there, that's just going to let you do things that will push you guys away. Be kind to everybody unless they give you a reason not to. Even then, always try to forgive because it's not worth your time to always be holding onto that hate. I promise you will be much happier if you let go. Let go but, always protect yourself. You will be wiser because of that.
