Men Don't Listen and Wayne L. Misner 2023©    

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Why Do We Need Friends©

(By Wayne L. Misner www.MenDontListen.com, MenDontListen@aol.com)



Why Do We Need Friends?


Not in any order of importance, some of my thoughts are: Friends will sharpen your mind, make you generally happier and, know yourself better. You will be inspired to reach your goals, advance your career, and live a longer and healthier life.


Close friends support you through heartache and heart break. They grieve with us. Life is full of ups and downs. Friends make the high points higher and the low points bearable.


You’re less lonely when you have friends. Friends can give you a reality check. Who but your closest friends will tell you the truth? Because friends know us so well, they are able to see things that we can’t, and aren’t afraid to share their dose of reality with you. Maybe to the point of being rude. A good friend who thinks you are important and makes you feel wanted, helps you to develop your self-esteem.


Asking the age old question can men and women be real friends? Yes, however there are challenges to male-female friendship: defining it, dealing with sexual attraction, seeing each other as equals, facing people's responses to the relationship. Oh, I must add the jealousy that plagues many rational people when a significant other befriends someone of the opposite sex. Platonic love does exist. You know you love someone and enjoy them as a person, but not enough to date or marry them.


If you have a best friend you are very lucky for many people only wish they had a friend that will give honest opinions. They know you well and are able to tell it like it is. So, thank your best friend the next time they look you in the eye, shake their head and suggest you rethink a possible decision. They have your best interests at heart.






Being a friend requires a lot of effort. But the opportunities it provides to make life better far outweigh anything that can be found in material possessions. Authentic friends make life better. They encourage us, believe in us, cheer us on and offer both the words and the support we need to become better people in all aspects of life.


In every regard, it is highly motivating to know that someone loves you, believes in you, and is rooting for you. Friends open their ears and hearts to our words. A listening ear communicates value, trust, and openness. And a listening ear provides the opportunity for our thoughts to be disentangled.


True friendships require sacrifice. And in that sacrifice, both lives are improved. You may have sought these friendships for years and yet, for one reason or another, they have eluded you. The path to discovering these authentic relationships is always the same. It will require risk, trust, and honesty. It will require sacrifice and intentional investment. It will require you to give of your time as you would require from a friend to you. You too must be that very same friend to them. In the end, it will be worth every ounce of your energy to commit to it. Be open, honest, and real. No one wants to be friends with someone who is perfect! We simply need to be our best selves and allow people to know the real us.



I know if my best friend gets cut, I will bleed for them.