People talk about what makes a good friend, what makes a true friend, what makes a best friend. Even I have participated in such conversations. I've spent a great deal of time considering the worth of a friend. At times in my life I've been confused about what defines each one. (But part of me wonders how much value lies in making each distinction.) I could list by name those who have been most true to the title of friend. I could talk about the things that they have done to qualify them as such. I could talk about the length of time that they have each been in my life, but I don't know that the length of time is necessarily a qualifier. But what I am sure of is that there exists genuine love, trust, and service. Of course, we want to be our best selves for our friends, but at times we inevitably fail, and forgiveness is required. A friend still loves us even when we are at our worst or weakest and knows us well enough to remember our heart and recognize that sometimes the flesh is weak.
A friend of mine is someone with a good heart. Every person in our realm of experience is there for a purpose. Some people last longer in that realm than others. But whether you are a sincere and genuine friend that lasts though my lifetime or if you are a sincere and genuine friend that lasts for only a short stage of life, my gratitude and love for you is not altered.
True, there are different kinds of friends. Some understand my heart more than others, and there are some whose hearts I can understand more fully. There are some who in my darkest and weakest moments that I seek and trust more readily.
So I think it is a short list of qualifiers that equals a friend: sincerity, trust, love, service, and forgiveness.
