The old saying that “friends are the family we choose” certainly resonates with me. I have been blessed to have many wonderful friends; some going back to childhood and some I have gained throughout the course of my life. Some of those friends I met as a mother when my daughter was young, some I met through organizations to which I belonged, some throughout the 31 years of marriage to my late husband and some through business contacts past and present.

There have also been those people along the way that were once thought to be friends, but didn’t quite measure up or our paths just went in different directions. Of course, as in everything else we do there are some guidelines that should be observed to qualify as a “genuine friend”, a.k.a., friendship etiquette.

• Be loyal.
• Don’t judge or criticize.
• Listen
• Keep their confidences.
• Don’t compete, be happy for their successes.
• Support them in their challenges.
• Don’t just take, be sure to give back.
• Observe courtesies, don’t take them for granted.
• Keep in touch.
• Love your friends unconditionally. (You know, like our dogs love us.)

Maintaining friendships with people of all ages can be life enriching. It helps old people stay young and young people have an opportunity to learn from the life experiences and knowledge of mature people. Being a “real” friend takes some effort, but the rewards can’t be measured. I have come to believe that genuine friends make us better people and enrich our lives whether we are young or old; a good measuring stick for everyone. If the people in your life don’t make you better it might be time to reevaluate why you keep them as friends.

Do you have a friend story to tell? I’d love to hear about it.