Posted by One of the greatest challenges in life can be finding a real friend who cares about you and will be there for you in good and bad times. Meeting such a friend can be daunting especially for children. Social media influencer Dark Joseph Ravine experienced this struggle firsthand, as it was hard to know who he could trust while he was growing up. He has witnessed the difficulties of others, as well. Ravine believes that it is important to compromise in friendship and learn how to understand one another. In his experience, friendship is all about give and take, but it requires effort from both sides to thrive.
Ravine says, “Friendship means you listen to your friends when they speak and do not interrupt them to tell them your own story.” Often, we only listen to others for a chance to speak or unknowingly monopolize the conversation. We will find that many friends do not tolerate this and will not feel validated or supported. Therefore, we must ensure we are listening fully to our friends when they are speaking and that we have good intentions. Friendship should not be used for self-promotion. Friendship is a selfless association, which translates into what true friendship means.
Ravine points out that friendship built on understanding one another is the best kind of friendship anyone can have. He states, “It is best to make friends when you are young, as it is easier than trying to make friends as an adult. The importance of compromise can’t be overstated. If someone won’t compromise, their chances of forming friendships are lessened.” Someone who can’t control their emotions will also find it hard to make friends, as friends will often take the blame for things they may or may not have done. It is important to understand that just because someone is your friend, it does not mean that you can treat them how you want or that they must do everything for you. You should be understanding of others and learn what their comforts are. Engage in a relationship of give and take and compromise with them as much as possible.
“Friendship should by no means feel restrictive. You should give your friend space and freedom to live their own life. Your friendship should be a happy place where your friend feels safe sharing feelings and experiences.” When we attempt to control our friends, we will often find that they do not want to be our friends any longer. Therefore, we must work on becoming a better friend to our friends. When our friends are happy with us, they are likely to stay friends with us for a very long time.
Friendship comes down to the personal choice of the people involved. We become friends with people we feel comfortable with. We can open up, laugh with them, cry with them, and be ourselves with them. That being said, we should keep in mind that there will always be good and bad situations in every friendship, and to make it work, we must accept everything. That’s not to say we should tolerate toxic behaviors or harm, but to always know our boundaries as the above refers to respectful relationships.