How to Tell You Met a Friend for Life

Having friends in your life is important. Friendship provides you someone to lean on when times get tough, in addition to your family and significant other. It can be challenging to determine who is a reliable friend and who isn't. How do you know you have a friend for life? Is this person committed to being there for you through the ups and downs? Here are the signs of a lifetime friend.

Many of our friends are made during our childhood and teenage years. You may still have some of the same friends as you did in your third grade English class or in your seventh-grade Social Studies class. As you grow up, you make more friends, which is helpful as you discover what you appreciate in another person. It's not uncommon for kids to be cruel and mean. If you were picked on, who would be there to stand up for you? Where would you turn if things went wrong?

When you think about a life-long friend, choose someone who will stick around after the fun times, through the chaos, until you grow old. It may be easy to make a friend, but it is a challenge to know who truly cares about you as a person. Although I have had many friends who seemed to care about me, they were never by my side when I was struggling through a tough time. High school was a difficult time for me, and I didn't have many friends. My few genuine supporters moved away. Although I have considered contacting them, long-distance friendships can be difficult.

So how can you spot a lifelong friend? The first thing you must consider is if they make an effort to check in on you. Even though we all have busy schedules, it is still essential to check in on the ones we love when we haven't spoken for a while. Having a friend who consistently follows up is a sign of loyalty. You don't want to be friends with someone who never asks how you are and only speaks about themselves when you finally get together. Both of you should care about how the other is doing. A one-sided friendship is never enjoyable.

It is also critical to consider how this person makes you feel about yourself. Do you feel encouraged by this person? Is the advice they give you uplifting and helpful? Do they listen to what you have to say? It shouldn't be just your significant other who makes you feel confident about yourself. It's also critical to have supportive and encouraging friends. Close friends need to support and defend each other. Of course, they don’t have to agree with everything you do, but they shouldn't bring you down either. 

You can make a lot of friends during your lifetime, but that doesn't mean they'll all be there for the long haul. Some may be manipulative and only care about getting something out of you, instead of caring about you as a person. Imagine your life in a few years; if this person isn't in that picture, why are you still calling them your friend? Everyone in this world deserves a meaningful friendship. If you don't have any friends right now, don't rush into making them. Be patient and wait for the right connection. Put yourself out into the world, and allow positive energy to be drawn to you. A supportive, life-long friend is something we all need and deserve.I If you haven’t already, you will find them one day soon! 

Written by: Audre Arnett