Friendship

With all of the technological advances the world has seen in recent years, no one has yet invented an adequate substitute for a friend. Some innovations, like Facebook, succeed precisely because they allow people to connect with friends in new and different ways. "Next to physical survival, the greatest need of a human being is ... to be understood, to be affirmed, to be validated, and to be appreciated." Technology may provide entertainment, but understanding and appreciation can't be found in virtual realities.

I have been abundantly blessed with good friends throughout my life, and I wouldn't be the person I am today without the amazing people whose companionship and support molded my character and carried me through my darkest times. There are no legal obligations requiring friends to remain in each others' lives, yet many of my longest and deepest relationships have persisted solely on the basis of mutual willingness.

Even "obligatory" family relationships can benefit from being built on a foundation of friendship. You're expected to love your parents and siblings, but can you say you like them? Marriages, too, are best when friendship and love are intertwined, and when in the midst of raising kids and dealing with the pressures of life husbands and wives would rather be together than apart.

Very few things in life can exceed the value of a loyal friend. I'm grateful for the good friends with whom I have shared joys and sorrows, who were never offended when I said or did things I regretted, who knew my weaknesses but defended me anyway, and who were always there for me when I needed help or when I just needed someone to talk to.