Friends

Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote:

The only way to have a friend is to be one.

Thank you @DrBea

Too many people seem to think of people as a convenience.  A true friend isn’t something that can be turned on or off at a moment’s notice.  True friendship is cultivated over a long period of time; the only way to gain this friendship is to give it.

This does not mean that one should indiscriminately give their friendship.  Many people are truly incompatible, and attempting to share life between them can lead only to sorrow.  Additionally, watch for the “friendship sink” – the person who will pretend to be your friend in order to gain the benefits, but will not share in the trials of friendship.

But once you find a true friend, share yourself with that person; by being a friend you will gain a friend, and both will grow from the experience.