Last night, I laughed so hard that my sides ached.  Seriously, I can’t remember the last time I laughed so much.  I was catching up with an old friend who I hadn’t talked to in a while.  We talked about families, jobs, old boyfriends, memories and inside jokes.  We connected and shared pieces of each others lives.  It really felt good and made me wonder why I let so much time go by since we last spoke.

We don’t live near each other, but that’s no excuse.  A true friendship can be nurtured, despite the distance.  All you have to do is make the effort.  I understand that life gets busy at times, but sometimes life gets too busy.  It is essential to our happiness to make time for the things that are important to us.  Maintaining meaningful connections with the people who matter should one of those things.  There’s nothing like having a fulfilling conversation with someone who understands, appreciates and supports you.  We may not have time to talk to our friends every day, but it’s up to us to create opportunities to connect and make our friendships a priority.

Here are some characteristics of a good friend:

• Knows how to be there/present
• Knows when to just listen
• Guides you in times of need
• Reach out just to say hello
• Tries their best to cheer you up and make you feel special
• Your life is improved because of their friendship
• Accepts who you are without conditions
• Celebrates the victories and supports you through the losses

So what type of friend are you?  Do you have anything to add to the list?  Let us know!