Five Qualities to Look for in a Friend

            I never realized how important it was to have good friends until I was much older.  And by good friends I don't just mean people that you really think are cool.  I mean friends who challenge you to be a better person and encourage you and leave you feeling uplifted.  I realized that in having good and healthy friendships that it is so much easier to be confident in who you are and also have the strength to face the pressures of today.
             Here is a list of qualities that I think all of us should look for in a friend. These are also qualities that we should be developing in ourselves.  In order to have good friends, you need to be a good friend first! So let's get started on quality number .
             1. Trustworthy.
             Finding a friend that is trustworthy is like finding a gem. A person who is trustworthy is a person that you can trust and be confident in. They are a person who is reliable. They are a person that will remain faithful.  They speak kindly about you, always do what they say, and keep their promises.
             2. Selfless.
             This is one of my favorite terms.  Selflessness is the opposite of selfishness.  A selfless person is someone who puts others ahead of themselves.  They do not choose to always be first or have their way.  They are someone who seeks to love others and make them happy.  Imagine two selfless people being friends.  Chances are they would have a wonderful friendship because they would always be thinking of the other person first.
             3. Good Communicator.
             Relationships take work.  Having a friend who can communicate well is a huge bonus to a friendship.  It is necessary to be able to talk about your feelings when seeking to have a healthy relationship.  A person who can be honest and communicate what they are feeling will really help you learn how to love that person better.  For example  if you are best friends with someone and they feel hurt by something you said, wouldn't you rather they tell you so you can work it out rather than them just ignore it and grow bitter inside?  I know that my best friendships are the ones where we communicate with each other, whether or not it's easy.