Friends are essential for a happy life. But how ma...

Friends are essential for a happy life. But how many friends do you need?

When I was young, I believed hundreds of friends were necessary. I tried to be likable to everyone. It made me sick any time I found out someone didn’t like me.

Part of it was having bipolar. The other part of it was just an innate desire to have enough friends. To me, friends meant security, and there was too little of that in my life.

Now at 50, I know no one needs hundreds of friends. Having one or two reliable friends is worth more than 100 wave-at-the-grocery-store friends. Real friends know you inside and out and accept all of you. They see the warts but love you anyway. Only these precious gems become a chosen family that makes you feel safe.

My best friend used to say, “You can laugh with good friends, but you can only sit in silence with great friends.” How right she was. You can only be completely at peace with those you trust.

We spent many hours sitting in silence. Even without words, those moments of solitude made our love grow. We understood each other on a level where speech was unnecessary.

If you have a few friends in your life who love you unconditionally, you have a priceless gift. No amount of money could ever replace one of those friends. Cherish them and hold on tight.

The best way to repay these precious friends is to be the same kind of friend to them.

Friends can disappear in an instant. My friend was gone minutes after we hung up the phone. Losing her hurt, but I would do it all over again. The few moments we shared taught me to love and accept love in return.

For today, think about your friends. Which friends are priceless to you? Who can you turn to, no matter the problem? Take a moment to reach out and tell them what they mean to you.

Until next time, keep fighting.
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