FRIENDSHIP

Sometimes our preoccupation is on having friends. Perhaps we should focus on being a friend.

The definition of a friend has changed in today’s technologically connected world. Today we may think we have many “friends.” It is true: we do enjoy the ability to be informed and to stay current with what is happening in the lives of many of our acquaintances as well as current and former friends and even people we have not met personally whom we call our friends.

In the context of social media, the term “friend” is often used to describe contacts rather than relationships. You have the ability to send your “friends” a message, but this is not the same thing as having a relationship with a person one on one.

There are many definitions of what it means to be a friend. I will never forget hearing Elder Robert D. Hales, “Friends are people who make it easier to live.” In this sense, seeking another person’s highest good is the essence of true friendship. It is putting someone else first. It is being strictly honest, loyal, and trustworthy in every action. Perhaps it is the word commitment that unlocks the real meaning of friendship.