We all need other people to live as a human. Firstly we need our family and friends.

Sometimes our friends are more important than our family. And also while we can not choose our family, we can choose our friends. But how do we do this selection? What are those caracteristics that make a person a good friend? In my opinion, a good friend should be reliable, loyal and he or she should have common interests with the one who is his or her friend. Trustfulness is fundamental in any relationship, including friendship. Unless we can rely on a person, we will not consider him or her as a friend. For example i do not want to be in doubt about what my friend said weather it is true or not. Telling lies is a kind of thing that makes a friendship over. What is more when i tell my friend something important or secret, i want to be sure that he will not tell anybody. On the other hand loyalty is significant characteristic that a good friend should have as well. We need friends not only when we happy but also when we upset. A good firend be with you when you fail on an exam, when you lost a relative, when you run out of money, in any case. Furthermore when you move to another place he or she tries to keep in touch with you. Having common interests something that makes friendship permanent. Maybe this is the reason you become friends. You may not share anything with who does not have any common interests with you. You probably do not have fun such a friend, may be even cannot find anything to talk. To sum up, life is easier and more enjoyable to live with good friends. And a good friend should have some characteristic such as being dependable, being faithful and having shared interests.

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What is the key to maintaining quality relationships, especially in todays hurried world? Karol Ladd, bestselling author of The Power of a Positive Woman, believes it goes back to something our grandmothers told us: If you want to have friends, you must show yourself friendly. After years of speaking to womens groups on the topic of friendship, I have discovered a pattern of characteristics that women typically appreciate in other people. Here are the top seven relationship ingredients that have surfaced over the years. I encourage you to consider these qualities in light of your current friendships and, if you are married, in light of your relationship with your spouse. (Theyre great building blocks for marriage.) These are qualities to internalize in your own life in order to become a better friend. You can also use them as a measure to consider (not judge) potential friendships in the future. 1. Take a genuine interest in others. Dale Carnegie, author of How to Win Friends and Influence People, said, You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get people interested in you. As we listen to others and show an interest in what is important to them, we begin to truly love and understand them. Every person has an invisible sign around his or her neck that reads, I want to feel important. Everyone has something to offer this world. We need to search for it, find it, and bring it to the surface. Ive found that scheduling an Others Hour is a good way to make time to be attentive to others. What is an Others Hour? Its a sixty minute period we reserve on our schedules each week in order to focus solely on our friends and their needs. I know for me, if something is not on the calendar, it typically doesnt happen. An Others Hour is a time when we can write a note or make a call or deliver a gift or do a favor. Its a time when we can pray for a certain friend in need. Try it. Who knows? You may find your Others Hour multiplies throughout the week! 2. Be a giver, not a taker Ask not what your friends can give to you but rather what you can give to your friends. (Sound familiar? Sorry, John, for reworking your quote.) What can we give to others? How about a smile, a hug, a kind word, a listening ear, help with an errand, a prayer, an encouraging note, a meal? We can come up with many things to give others if we are willing to be attentive to their needs. (Hint, hint: To know someones needs, you must take a genuine interest in the person first.) Giving may take time. It may take us out of our way. But giving and selfsacrifice are part of the definition of love. I like this little poem by John Oxenham: Art thou lonely, O my brother? Share thy little with another. Stretch a hand to one unfriended, And thy loneliness is ended. 3. Be loyal. Loyalty is a rare commodity in todays world, but its an absolute requirement in true and abiding friendships. When we are loyal to one friend, we prove ourselves worthy of many. One way we show our loyalty is through our words or lack thereof. In fact, a key to being loyal is keeping a tight rein on our tongues. If were loyal, we wont tear a friend down behind her back or share her personal story without her permission. Its easy to gossip or pass judgment; its much harder to keep silent. I like what Marsh Sinetar said: When you find yourself judging someone, silently say to yourself, They are doing the best they can right now. Then mentally forgive yourself for judging. As positive women, we need to make sure our tongues are used for good and not evil. We should be builders with our words, not demolishers. Jealousy, envy, and a range of other negative emotions can keep us from being loyal. But true loyalty overcomes all of them. I think of the beautiful Old Testament story about the friendship between Jonathan and David. Jonathan had reason to be jealous of his friend, David. Jonathan was King Sauls son and in line to succeed his father to the throne, but God anointed David to be the next king instead. At the same time, David easily could have been angry with Jonathan. Jonathans father, the king, chased David out of the country and tried to kill him. Yet these two men pledged their loyalty in friendship and never wavered from it. Eventually Jonathan saved Davids life, and David continued to show his loyalty to his friend by watching out for Jonathans son.

Jealousy, envy, bitterness, and anger are all sisters in sin and killers of loyalty in relationships. But if we continually take these emotions to God and ask for his help in overcoming them, we can remain loyal to our friends through the thick and thin of life. 4. Be a positive person. The most consistent comment I hear about what people want in friendships is this: I want a friend I can laugh with. We all want friends we can enjoy! People who consistently bring us down with their problems and complaints are generally not the ones we want to pal around with for any length of time. O f course, sometimes a friend will go through a difficult time, and we need to be ready and willing to hold a hand and provide a listening ear. But a friend in need is different than a habitual whiner. We want our friendships to be positive and uplifting and that means we must be positive, uplifting friends ourselves. It has been said that there are two kinds of people: those who brighten the room when they enter, and those who brighten the room when they leave. Lets make sure were brightening our friendships with our presence. Positive women demonstrate an attitude and a spirit that sees God at work in all of life and encourages others to see him too. They are generous with praise, with smiles, and with love, remembering what Francis Bacon said: Friendship doubles joys and halves griefs. 5. Appreciate the differences in others. Variety is the spice of life. Im so glad that when I walk into an ice cream store, vanilla isnt the only option! Im glad, too, that God created people with a variety of personalities, talents, and interests. Each one of us is a unique creation. Mixed together we blend to form the body of Christ. So why is it that, instead of appreciating our differences, we tend to despise them or become jealous of them? Apparently this was as much a challenge in the early church as it is today. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 12:18-25: But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, I dont need you! And the head cannot say to the feet, I dont need you! On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. Along with a variety of personalities comes a variety of faults. I am the creative type and love to spend hours writing and brainstorming, but I am a little scatterbrained when it comes to details and being on time. Of course I need to work on my faults, but I also need understanding friends who will bear with me (see Colossians 3:13). At the same time, I need to overlook my friends faults in other areas. An old Turkish proverb states, Whoever seeks a friend without a fault remains without one. The truth is, we will never find a perfect friend here on this earth (except Jesus). So lets appreciate our differences, both the good and the bad. 6. Build on common interests. What is it that brings friends together in the first place? There is usually something that draws us to others a common hobby, a sport, a Bible study, a volunteer project, a childrens activity. My friend Karen and I got to know each other as our daughters grew to be friends at school. Our friendship developed as we took our kids to activities together and talked and planned over the phone. We go to the same church, which gives us another common bond. Karen and her husband, Dick, organize many of the mission opportunities at the church, so Curt and I join them occasionally to help feed the homeless. Since our husbands enjoy hunting and golfing together, we build on their common interests as well. In our busy society, it can be difficult to create times to get together with people. But if we take advantage of the common activities and interests we have with others, we can fit the time for friendship into our schedules. If you and a friend both like to exercise, work out together. If you both like to read, go to the bookstore together to pick out your next selection, grab some coffee, and talk about the last book you read. If your kids are your common interest, consider getting together on a regular basis to pray for them. The point is to allow your common interests to draw you together.

Married couples need to practice this, too. Many couples tend to get focused on (and frustrated with) their differences while overlooking the common interests that brought them together in the first place. When that happens they need to go back to basics and begin to build again on their common interests, overlooking each others faults and appreciating the different qualities they bring into the marriage. Marriages seem to be made in heaven when they start, but they most assuredly need to be maintained and continually tended here on earth. Mignon McLaughlin puts it this way, A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person. 7. Be open, honest, and real. The word hypocrite originally described actors on a stage who covered their faces with masks to conceal their real identities. Today the word describes people who pretend to be something theyre not. True friendship cannot be built on false images. We must be true to ourselves. We may think we have to present a faultless picture of ourselves to the rest of the world, but why? No one wants to be friends with someone who is perfect! We simply need to be our best selves and allow people to know the real us. Of course, being open and honest doesnt mean spilling our guts to everyone. As we already know, loyalty is a rare commodity; when we find it, we know we have a friend we can trust someone with whom we can share openly about our deepest issues and feelings. George Washington offered some wise words about friendship when he said, Be courteous to all, but intimate with few; and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence. True friendship is a plant of slow growth and must undergo and withstand the shocks of adversity before it is entitled to the appellation.

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What are the qualities of a good friend? True friendships can start instantly but they take time to build. Here are a few qualities to look for when making friends as a teen -- and beyond. 1. A good friend is honest. A good friend may not share every detail of every second of their life, but they do try to be clear about their intentions. This means that they try to present an accurate picture of who they are and of different situations. When something doesn't seem right, they let you know. Ads Beautiful Chonburi GirlsChonburi Girls Safe Dating. Browse 1,000s Profiles and Find Your MatchAsianBeauties.com/Chonburi Amazing Russian WomenFirst-Class Russian Dating Service. Dazzling Women. Find your Princess!AnastasiaDate.com Zurich Life InsuranceNo Matter What Comes To Pass. Zurich Protects You & Your Family.heritage.zurich.com.my 2. A good friend is fun, unique and interesting. OK, this is a given, and probably the reason you became friends in the first place. But there's a lot to be said for chemistry and shared interests. As for fun, it depends how you define it: Some friends are fun because they're the life of the party, others are fun because they notice every strange little detail about a situation. Some people are fun simply because they see life like no one else does. 3. A good friend is attentive and adaptable. A good friend is at least a fairly good listener and notices how little, day-to-day things affect you. They can't read your mind, but chances are they can usually tell when you're happy, sad, excited, shocked or upset. If they're aware that they're doing something that annoys you, they try to change their ways or at least talk to you about it. 4. A good friend is supportive of you and your goals. Sure, your friend may think you're cool, but are they on the same page as you? Do they know what you want most out of life? A really good friend will know what makes you tick and help you become the person you want to be. They won't try to change who you are or drag you into situations that make you uncomfortable or put you at risk of losing something that matters to you. 5. A good friend is a friend you can trust. A true friend won't try to steal your girlfriend or boyfriend, your job or your personality. They won't gossip about you constantly or try to damage your reputation. They will let you know when they're concerned and do their best to stick up for you when you're in trouble. 6. A good friend makes it clear that they care about you.

Different people may have different ways of letting you know that they care about you. One person may give you a big hug whereas another person might gently tease you. A big clue that someone cares is that they talk to you fairly often and, in general, know what's going on in your life and act interested about it. 7. A good friend sticks with you in good times and bad. Loyalty is a quality almost everyone lists when asked what they look for in a friend. A loyal friend will stick with you when your new play is a flop, when you bomb the SATs or when your parents get divorced. If you move or switch schools, they'll do their best to stay in touch with you. 8. A good friend accepts you for who you are, even when you're being a butthead. In friendship, being accepting goes hand in hand with being loyal. A true friend rolls with the punches as you grow and change and know how to deal with your quirks and faults. They are also patient with you when you make mistakes -- even big ones -- and learn how to forgive you when you hurt them. In other words, they treat you as you'd like to be treated, even when you aren't at your best.

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Havent we heard the famous saying a friend in need is a friend indeed? But Friendship has much more to it. Friendship is an integral part of human existence. Though true friendships can start instantly it takes time to build and develop. If you are wondering why you don't seem to have any good friends, you should probably have a look at the below given qualities. Good friends often come with a multitude of qualities. Given are 12 Characteristics of a Good Friend. 1. Accepts you as you are: A good friend is someone who does not try to be somebody that he is not and accepts you as you are. They are also patient with you when you make mistakes and forgive you when you hurt them. 2. Dependable: A good friend is dependable and you can trust your friend with your secrets and know that he would not let a third person know about it. He sticks with you in good times and bad. When you ask for advice, a good friend points out the right direction. 3. Honest: A good friend would be honest and loyal with you. He does not break the promises that he made to you. He makes you feel safe and secure with him. He is your true critic. You will find many who falsely appreciate you and your work to remain in good books. A good friend will tell you the truth even if it's something you don't want to hear. He will point out your mistakes in private and not in front of others and also help overcome it. 4. Listen to you: A good friend always listens to you and cares about your needs and emotions. A good friend would be there always when you need to talk. When you have news to share or grievances he gives you full attention. 5. Be there for you: A good friend would be there with you through thick and thin. Good friends dont call up people only to request a favor. But he would be the first person to come to your aid in time of crisis. He also does not allow you to indulge in any addiction or illicit activities. 6. Give you Space: A good friend respects your privacy. He understands that you have family, other friends and colleagues who are part of your life too and do not cling to you always. He builds trust and confidence which makes you comfortable enough to share your good and bad times with him. 7. Always in touch: Good friends dont wait for you to call you. He always makes an effort to keep in touch with you even if it is through a quick phone call or an email. He knows what's going on in your life and is interested about it. A good friend also does not avoid even if they are busy and do not ignore your phone call or mails. A good friend makes it clear that they care about you. 8. Do not bad mouth you: A good friend does not bad mouth you or talk behind your back. A good friend is a friend you can trust and won't gossip about you or try to damage your reputation. They will let you know when they're concerned and do their best to stick up for you when you're in trouble. A good friend will also apologizes when he does something wrong. He does not keep grudges. 9. Happy for you: A good friend never gets jealous on your success but would be happy for you. He celebrates your success and his success with you. When you are down and needs support he would be there to support and care about you. An ideal friend has a sensitive side which would make them understand others feelings. They may not be able to read your mind, but chances are they can usually tell when you're happy, sad, excited, shocked or upset. A good friend will likely know how to lift your spirits and make your day. 10. Supportive: A good friend is supportive of you and your goals. He will know what makes you tick and help you become the person you want to be. They won't try to change who you are or drag you into situations that make you uncomfortable. When you are in a situation where you need to be defended he would be right there beside you. 11. Common Interests: A good friend is someone with whom you have something in common. He is

fun to be with and he understands you and respects you. 12. Giving: Good friends give more than what is asked. When they see a need they respond before the other has a chance to ask without expecting anything in return and without anyone knowing about it. Good friends are generous with their time, money, possessions and knowledge. Best of all they have a generous spirit. There is a saying that what you give is what you get back. The qualities you want in a friend should be the same that you are offering to someone else. How else can you expect to have good friends if you arent one yourself? http://anamikas.hubpages.com/hub/How-to-be-a-Good-Friend-Qualities

062: What do you want most in a friend someone who is intelligent, or someone who has a sense of humor, or someone who is reliable? Which one of these characteristics is most important to you? Use reasons and specific examples to explain your choice. Friendship is of the meaningful part of our life. Days will become less beautiful without friends, especially our closest one. We make friendship with others for their special characteristics such as intelligence, sense of humor and so on. However, it is no doubts in my mind that I would choose a reliable one to be my closest friend, who can make me emerge from a complete solitude. First of all, a reliable friend will give us a sense of safety and become a peaceful place, where even our secrets would be showed out without any of hesitation. Those, in somehow, significantly understand our thinking and will give us considerably many of valuable helps. To instance this, lovelorn is whatever leads us to a painful sadness, which can not be told with our other acquaintances or even our parents but our best friends. They can give us a sense of sympathy and beside us along the time till our problems go through. The last but not least, a friend in need comes from a situation indeed. Whenever we are healthy, many of friends will follow us. However, in some difficult cases, those, who can remain beside us in such this period of time, are our reliable friends. Thus, it requires us a long time to identify them because true friendship must be trained hardly at first to form an eternal friend. To sum up, I would say that choosing a friend with their colour and funny characteristic makes no sense. Reliable friendship is what we must respect particularly because it is one of the most important present given by god. http://www.english-test.net/forum/ftopic36920.html

List 3 important characteristics of friendship Honesty - This is the most important to me in every aspect of my relationships. Honesty means there are no contradictions or discrepancies in thoughts, words, or actions. I think this mostly matters to me so much because I feel like I am accepting of anything and being honest takes a lot of trust and I want a person to be able to trust me. I want a friend I don't have to worry about not being able to tell the truth to or worry about not being told the truth on little and big things. Reciprocity - aka The Golden Rule. A fundamental moral value which simply means "treat others as you would like to be treated." This is another one of those things that is important to me even outside of friendships. Strangers also deserve this. Additionally, when respect is exercised to treat others the way they want to be treated, it adds value and meaning to relationships. If that doesn't work you can use the The Platinum Rule. "Treat others as theyd like to be treated. I want a friend who is going to be just as caring and giving to me as I am to them. I want a friend that does the right thing because it is the right thing to do. Openness - Have an open mind that is willing to listen to new ideas, and accept differences of opinions. Be open to try new experiences. Go into everything with a positive attitude. Be excited. Simply put, doing unique, random, different, and ridiculous things. Thinking a lot or experiencing new stimuli can make you smarter, more energetic, more creative, more sociable, and more open to new experiences and ways of thinking. I want a friend that is open to things I can introduce them to and also has tons of ideas themselves to share with me. Do you think my 3 things are asking too much? What about you? What are 3 things that are important to you in a friendship?

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here's no denying that our friends have a tremendous impact on our lives. Good friends make the good times even better, and the bad times more bearable. We learn and grow by sharing our thoughts and experiences with them. You could say that a life without friends is no life at all. And yet, our need for friendship also creates a big risk. By befriending the wrong people, we invite chaos and confusion into our lives, possibly derailing our personal growth. Remember that you need to choose your friends carefully, allowing the good people into your inner circle while keeping your distance from those who would be harmful. Here are some important traits to look for in a good friend. They're generally positive. While everyone has their ups and downs, a good friend will be positive most of the time. You really don't want a "project," someone who's going to suck all the life force out of you with their constant negativity. Friends should benefit from being with each other, and let their positivity rub off on each other. Life is short, and you don't have time to save everyone from negativity while dragging yourself down in the process. And this goes both ways. In order to be a good friend, you need to be positive as well. Both of you should make the other feel better about themselves and life in general. They dont try too hard to change you. You cant change people who dont want to change. People are different, and we have to just accept that. While we naturally want to share our views and hobbies with other people, it doesnt make sense to force people to change. So dont adamantly tell someone that they have to be a vegetarian, or they have to eat meat, or they have to read more books, or they have to stop reading books, or anything else like that. You can always invite people to try something new, but you dont want to try to control them. Be friends with someone because of who they are now, not because of who you want them to be. They give more than they take. Do you ever get the feeling that someone only seems to be interested in you when youre throwing a party, or when they need someone to help them move? That might be a sign that they take more than they give. Its just not healthy to become friends with someone because you want to cash in on what they have to offer you, or vice versa. A friendship should be mutually beneficial, with each of you offering help, support, and encouragement because you want to, without having ulterior motives. Any fringe benefits like getting invited to the best parties should be secondary to that. Theyre tolerant of your beliefs. No one we meet is ever going to be exactly like us, and so disagreements are bound to happen. This is perfectly normal, and it makes life interesting. But if you happen to disagree

on your deeply held beliefs, for example religion and politics, that can potentially be a problem. Religious differences have caused many bitter arguments (not to mention wars). Political differences have caused great rifts between people who otherwise got along perfectly. But this doesnt need to happen. Good friends can accept that one is Catholic and the other is an atheist, or that one is voting for McCain and the other is voting for Obama. There may be some debates, sometimes even heated ones, but at the end of the day, a good friend isnt going to turn their back on you because of your beliefs. (Well, at least non-fanatical beliefs!) Final thoughts Its great to be friendly, and to openly welcome new people into your life. But dont set the bar so low as to befriend people who will do more harm than good. Its OK to turn away from people who want to be more like a parasite than a human being. Resolve to be a good friend to others, and to expect the same in return. http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/goods-friends/