“A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out.” An inspiring quote by Walter Winchell. By definition, according to Oxford languages, a friend is “ a person whom one knows and with whom one has a bond of mutual affection, typically exclusive of sexual or family relations.” However, I would say the definition has a deeper meaning to it.
Throughout our lives we have gained and also lost many friends. There are some friends we feel can tell anything too, there are some friends that we have an unbreakable bond with,and there are some friends that soon became like family. On the other hand, there are many friendships that we have encountered that only lasted for a short amount of time. At that moment we knew there was a certain meaning to what a friend is.
A friend is someone who motivates you towards success. A friend is someone you can depend on and won’t let you down. A friend is someone who doesn't change in front of other people. Most of all, a friend is someone who never leaves your side when times get rough. Not everyone you meet in life is going to be your friend, and the sooner we begin to accept, that the easier it is to recognize the fake people around you. There are many people that will smile in your face, but behind closed doors is praying on your downfall. There are some friends that you have to let go
because they are holding you back from your future. Did you ever notice the change in your friend groups from middle school to now? Do you remember thinking you and your friends were always going to be close but are now complete strangers?
Overtime we begin to grow and mature as individuals. You begin to look at everyone around you differently. You realize they don’t have the same goals, they’re not genuine, or that you guys may not see eye to eye anymore and that is totally fine. It is okay to end your friendships with people. We have to learn to be comfortable with being alone sometimes. Because it is always better to be alone than be surrounded by the wrong people. Surround yourself with those that want to see you do better. Never settle for less and always remember your worth.
Friendships are valuable. The people you surround yourself with can heavily influence your future. Throughout life we are going to encounter different types of people. Some are only there for that moment and some you have created a connection with. But, there are a few amount of people that stand out from the rest. Those individuals that make you happy and that you trust. Those are the ones that you build lifelong friendships with. All in all, the definition of a friend is endless, but overall it is someone who loves you for who you are.
I absolutely love how you described a friend and being a friend! I absolutely agree with you!
ReplyDeleteI absolutely loved this piece because I could really relate to it. I have struggled so much in the past with friendships, and when I finally figured out how to have true friends, this is the exact process I went through in my head. You did such a good job of capturing what friendship should feel like.
ReplyDeleteWilliam James Smith III:
ReplyDeleteGreat essay! I loved how you were willing to have flexibility in life in who you keep around you! Patience is most certainly a virtue, and it is best to wait to get the right thing, rather than be impatient and get the wrong thing!
There will be moments when you are alone, but nothing, good or bad lasts forever, and I loved the way you stress that so much in the essay!
Great Job! :)
William :)
I thoroughly enjoyed reading your piece and through every sentence I was nodding in agreement. I loved how you opened your piece with the dictionary definition of friendship, but then soon after stemmed into your own definition. Your definition was flawless, you incorporated both the good and bad that comes with friendship. I loved how real your writing was. It is very inspirational and thought provoking to read especially during these times where social interaction is limited. Amazing job!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for sharing this piece of writing with us. There are so many people that are no longer in my life that I once thought I would be friends with forever, and that's okay. Just because that person is no longer there doesn't mean I won't cherish the memories I made with them. The most important thing is to surround yourself with those who make you happy. Thank you for putting all that into words.
ReplyDeleteI really love this, it's a good reminder that I should want to surround myself with those that make me feel like a true friend, and those that uplift me. I like the way you structured this piece to start with the textbook definition and end with a new, more accurate definition.
ReplyDeleteI really liked how you found a deeper meaning and understanding to the definition of a friend. I completely agree with what you explained about certain people just standing out in our lives, and those are true friends. Great job!
ReplyDeleteI really liked how you found a deeper meaning and understanding to the definition of a friend. I completely agree with what you explained about certain people just standing out in our lives, and those are true friends. Great job!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing. This was a good reminder that it's okay to let go of people and surround yourself with those who make you happy. Great job!
ReplyDeleteMya, I really loved this piece! That's so true how different a friendship can be if you guys just aren't on similar paths. I've definitely been down that road before and felt like although I was uplifting them they were ultimately almost holding me back from doing bigger and better things. The memories are definitely always gonna be there but you live and you learn. You'll know what real friendship is when you find it. Great job!
ReplyDeleteI loved this piece because you found a deeper meaning to friend, which usually we over simplify but you're analyzation illustrates how truly crucial they are in our life and how lucky we are to have found good ones. I enjoyed this piece because it had me reflect on my pass friendships, even failed ones, and took a little trip down memory lane and appreciate the friendships that stuck and the ones I have now.
ReplyDeleteI think it's so valuable that you said that it's ok to be alone sometimes, this is really good advice because you don't really know what friendship means until you are ok with being on your own sometimes!
ReplyDeleteThis had such a deep meaning, I am sure everyone can resonate with this and I agree with your standpoint on friends. Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI agree with your view of friends and what they should be. It's very uplifting to have others support you in all that you do. Thank you for sharing your story.
ReplyDelete"We have to learn to be comfortable with being alone sometimes. Because it is always better to be alone than be surrounded by the wrong people." YES!! I loved this, and thank you so much for touching on what a true friend really is! I've learned, especially during quarantine, who my true friends are and they're the ones that have your back through whatever. We do have to remember that ending friendships is okay, because it helps us move on and start another page in the book we call life! This was awesome!
ReplyDeleteI really liked your blog entry because it’s different and I can relate to it a lot. Sometimes I struggle with the fact that I can’t be friends with everyone and you have to let go of some friendships in the end.
ReplyDeleteI love this piece so much :) I love how you added your opinion on the value of learning to be okay with being by yourself. I completely agree that it is better to be on your own than to be with those that don't truly care for you. You have to fill yourself up before you can pour into other people.
ReplyDeleteI loved this!! I really like how you took the textbook definition and the revamped it into your own words and emotions towards friendship. I also really like how you showed both sides of friendship. Great Job !
ReplyDeleteI love this! I think it is so beautiful how you dove into the meaning and definition. I think this is amazing!
ReplyDeleteYour writing creates such a deeper, truer meaning to what a friend is. This piece really made me reflect on how the people I've been friends with have molded me into the person I am, even if they were only in my life for a couple of months. Great job!
ReplyDeleteI really loved this piece! Understanding that not every friend you meet will stay with you may be something difficult to accept for some people, but it is important to remember that it´s okay when a friendship ends. Throughout this piece, I was able to reflect on my past and current friendships and realize that when we finally mature, and accept those past friendships, we can really see how much we have grown, thanks again for sharing this.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love this. The whole concept is so beautiful and i like how you brought up the point about how your friend group from middle school is different from the one you have now because that is so true. I will definitely keep this in mind for when I go to college.
ReplyDeleteI think this is a perfect example of a friend,you really made me think of the people around me and cherish my friends even more for all that they do. -Leah Thompson
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for writing this. Often times, I find myself reminiscing about my past friendships or just friends I had such an amazing bond with but don't speak to anymore and I get sad because of how much I miss them. There's no bad blood but we just outgrew each other. This piece helped to remind me that it's okay to outgrow people and friendships and that it's not a bad thing, it's just a part of life. So again thank you for writing this beautiful piece!
ReplyDeleteThis was a fantastic interpretation of what truly is a friend. I think the key idea that you heavily emphasized was this idea of unconditional love. A true friend's love is one that is present regardless of the situation, the hardships, and the struggles. It is something that persists. There is no more accurate description of loyalty. Great writing!
ReplyDeleteGreat piece on talking about what a friend is. Unfortunately over a year ago a very close friend of mine passed away at 19 and it was very hard to deal with during that time, but it was also a message that I should take advantage of having those close friends because they could be gone at any moment in time. Overall, your definition and description of a friend was very accurate and I liked how you added that overtime we begin to grow and mature as individuals
ReplyDeleteThis was such a powerful piece of writing. I found myself relating and connecting your concept to my own life. I think everyone has had friends that they assumed would be forever friends, but then something happens and that changes. Knowing that it’ll be okay and not everyone is meant to be a permanent person in your life is something important to accept and I think you captured that well. So good!
ReplyDeleteI love this writing so much, I think you accurately conveyed the meaning of a "friend" and all the qualities that a friend should have. I believe that in this day and age it is hard to find genuine with people.
ReplyDeleteI loved your piece. I completely agree with you statement that not everyone will be you friend and once you realize it then you can notice you fake friends. I took my a while to tell which friends of mine were real or fake. You did a great job!
ReplyDeleteThis is amazing. You brought out the deeper meaning of a friend and I thank you for making me aware of my friendships. You took the definition and gave it emotion and feelings. Amazing. -marwa jamily
ReplyDeleteThis is so true! I agree that it is super important to only surround yourself with the people who are right for you and who you are trying to be. You perfectly captured what a lot of us are experiencing as we continue to grow up. Awesome job!
ReplyDeleteYes! Being a friend is much more than someone you like hanging out with, and there is more meaning behind it. I loved your take and perspective on what a friend truly is! - Laura Clark
ReplyDeleteI absolutely agree with your personal insight on what a friend is and how they are so important in our lives. I also really liked how you were able to talk about how our friend group changes as we mature.
ReplyDeleteThis was such a good read! I know I was that hopeful elementary schooler who always wanted to be best friends with their first friend for the rest of our lives but as you’ve enlightened us, sometimes that just doesn’t happen. I’m grateful you made growing out of and away from a person/friend group not as horrible as it looks like at times. Leaving behind friends that just don’t feel like friend anymore can be a very hard decision to make but you’re right! “It is always better to be alone than surrounded by the wrong people.”
ReplyDeleteNice piece. I agree with what you said and there is a time and place for people in your life. Good work.
ReplyDeleteI really loved your exploration of what being a friend means. I definitely agree that we should try to be comfortable to drop the friends that bring us down. I especially liked the part where you said that we all grow up and mature, and this can lead to losing some friendships. I think it's a natural thing and it's ok if it happens. If anything, we will encounter people that will love us for who we are. Great work!
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