This term is used to refer to a type of companionship relationship that one person may have towards another individual one living thing towards another. This is a relationship of care, devotion and honesty. In friendship, the parties involved show utmost concern for one another despite the circumstances. Ideally it is not because of the position that their counterparts are in that determines whether they would be friends or not. This explains why we witness sons of two enemies being very close friends!
The main reason that persons get into a relationship of friendship is not so that they would exploit one another; neither is it for any gains as it were. This is not the primary motivation of a friendship. Rather a friendship is primarily established so that persons would be in a position to share their lives and exchange ideas. Friends are meant to bear with one another, concern themselves with the issues of their counterparts and actively participate in solution provision.
Equally, friendship usually involves a relationship of support and cooperation between the parties. In a friendship, mutual knowledge and respect is essential. Persons get into friendships for esteem reasons mostly. This is so that people may feel appreciated. Loyalty is a core value that establishes a friendship. In this, one would not be willing to sell out their friend no matter what. Other traits that establish friendships include empathy and the tendency to always desire the best for the companion.
Friendship differs from an association since the former is considered to be more intimate and candidly close. An association on the other hand is a shallow interaction of persons for a specific reason which may easily end upon completion of roles involved. A friendship is not a marriage.
This does not rule out the fact that married people may be friends but marriage has other motivations like sexual fulfillment that may not necessarily be in a friendship. Friendships may exist in marriages and it is important that they do exist there yet it is not the friendship itself that constitutes the marriage. Friendships do not necessarily mean sexual relationships as is the common notion. When a man says, “She is my girl friend;” the notion is different from a situation where a lady says the same statement.
Friendships are established in a complex way. They sometimes are formed out of necessity, which is a wrong way to form one, or from shared interests. The latter is the most common one where people who have the same likes find they enjoy each others company. Another complex way in which friendships are formed is after a squabble.
Upon people arguing or fighting, sometimes a voice of reason settles and friendships crop up. Informal and formal meetings are another source of friendships where persons attending conferences and dignitaries in consortia find themselves in friendships. A friendship is ideally not an obsession since the latter involves a craving for another person that might even lead to violence just to be in site of the other party.
In conclusion, there are several theories that people have formulated in the quest to define what friendship is. These include the social exchange theory which has a different perception as compared to attachment styles, dialectics and equity theories. However the baseline is common. Friendships are established on the premise of truth, honesty and trust among the people involved. They are fulfilling and help persons to belong. A friend at times may be considered to be closer than brother since he or she may form a confinement of all secrets.
Friendships form that solitude where people simply pour out their issues and challenges knowing that they will be listened to, cared for and empathized with. In the famous words of an anonymous musician, “it is better to have a friend than to be in need of one.” Friendships; what a blessing they are. Ever thought of the peace we would witness if the whole world was one big friendship established on the premise of love, care, devotion and concern? Oh what peace we would witness and the pain that would be alleviated?