The other day, someone asked me what defines friendship. I think that friendship means something different to everyone. Everyone has their own expectations and "requirements" - for lack of a better word - for what they look for in a friend. Some people never really have friends, only acquaintances. When faced with this question, I wasn't sure how to answer. So many things came to mind. I've had some really amazing friends, and some really horrible ones. My response was kind of all over the place, but I feel that it pretty much covered what I believe.

So here we go:

A friend is someone who is there for you, no matter what.

We all have that one person that we want to call right away when something amazing happens, and that same friend is who we want to call when something tragic happens in our lives. A friend is someone who you know you can trust with any type of secret - whether it be good or bad - without fear of being judged. A friend is someone who tells you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear. They tell it like it is, because they don't want to see you get hurt.

A friend isn't necessarily someone you share everything in common with.

Sometimes opposites attract. But, there must be something that brought you two together, and from that moment there's a bond between you like no other.

A friend is someone who can also trust you with anything and everything.

Sometimes people are too focused on what they are looking for in someone else for a friend, when really they should be focused on themselves too. These are qualities that you learn from a person over time. While that time is passing and you're both getting to know each other more, you have to take a look at yourself too. I mean, how can you justify looking for a friend like this if you yourself don't possess these same qualities. Bethe friend you wish to have.

The true friends are those that are there for you when it really counts.

They support your decisions whether they agree with them or not, because they understand that you have to make your own mistakes to learn from. They are the ones who are there for you through good times and bad, when you are at your highest high but also when you are at your lowest low.

Too often in life we take for granted the wonderful friendships that we have. Sometimes we need to take a moment to realize how blessed we are to have these types of people in our lives, and make sure to thank them for all that they do for us. They keep us sane, they keep us happy.