Alright, listen up, y’all. You wanna know how to be a better friend, huh? Like, a real good friend, not some fly-by-night kinda pal? Well, lemme tell ya, it ain’t rocket science. It’s about stickin’ around, bein’ true, and just generally bein’ a good egg.
First off, you gotta show up. You know, when your friend needs ya, you gotta be there. Don’t be makin’ excuses and skedaddlin’ off somewhere else. Like them fancy folks in that book, “how to be a better friend book” thingy, said, show up. And don’t just show up for the good times, like when there’s cake or a party. Show up when things are tough too. When your friend’s feelin’ lower than a snake’s belly, that’s when you gotta be there, shoulder to cry on and all that.
Second thing, keep your word. If you say you’re gonna do somethin’, do it. Don’t be goin’ back on your promises. Nothin’ worse than a friend who ain’t reliable. Like that book, the one they call somethin’ about trust, what was it now? Oh yeah, “The Speed of Trust,” yeah, that fella Covey, he knew what he was talkin’ about. Trust is like a good quilt, gotta be stitched together tight, and one broken promise is like a hole ripped right through it.
- Don’t blab secrets. If your friend tells you somethin’ in confidence, keep it to yourself. Don’t go gossiping all over town like a hen clucking in the barnyard.
- Be a good listener. When your friend is talkin’, listen. Don’t be interrupting and tryin’ to one-up ’em all the time. Just listen. Let ‘em talk their heart out. And for goodness sake, put down that phone, will ya? Look ’em in the eye. Show ‘em you care.
- Be supportive. If your friend has a dream, support ’em. Don’t go rainin’ on their parade. Encourage them. Cheer them on. Be their biggest fan, even if their dream is a little bit crazy.
Now, this next part is important. Don’t be judgin’. Everybody makes mistakes. Everybody has their flaws. If your friend messes up, don’t be quick to judge. Be understanding. Be forgiving. Be the kinda friend that sticks around even when things get messy.
And don’t be afraid to say you’re sorry. We all mess up sometimes. We say things we don’t mean. We hurt the people we love. When you make a mistake, own up to it. Say you’re sorry, and mean it. And try to do better next time.
Another thing, and this is somethin’ I learned the hard way, be honest. Don’t be a yes-man or yes-woman all the time. If your friend is about to do somethin’ stupid, tell ‘em. Even if it ain’t easy. A true friend tells you the truth, even when it hurts.
And lastly, be patient. Friendships take time to grow. They take effort. They take work. You can’t just expect to be best friends overnight. You gotta be patient. You gotta be understanding. And you gotta be willing to put in the work. There’s books for that kinda thing too, you know. Books for being patient, for understanding. My grandbaby showed me one once, it was full of purdy pictures, too. I think that girl, like that Amy or somethin’, said somethin’ ‘bout that in her book.
So there you have it. That’s my two cents on how to be a better friend. It ain’t complicated, really. Just be kind, be true, and be there for each other. That’s all there is to it. Now go on and be a good friend, ya hear?
Tags: [Friendship, Better Friend, Relationships, Trust, Support, Honesty, Kindness, Loyalty]