Friendship

There is no man that imparteth his joys to his friends, but he joyeth the more; and no man that imparteth his griefs to his friends but he grieveth the less.

The comfort of having a friend may be taken away, but not that of having had one.

The Golden Rule of friendship is to listen to others as you would have them listen to you.

--David Augsburger

No distance or place or lapse of time can lessen the friendship of those who are thoroughly persuaded of each other's worth.

The only way to have a friend is to be one.

--Ralph Waldo Emerson

Without confidence, there is no friendship.

Oh the comfort--the inexpressible comfort
of feeling safe with a person.
Having neither to weigh thoughts,
Nor measure words--but pouring them
All right out--just as they are--
Chaff and grain together--
Certain that a faithful hand will
Take them and sift them--
Keep what is worth keeping--
And with the breath of kindness
Blow the rest away.

--Dinah Maria Mulock Craik

One pardons in the degree that one loves.

--La Fouchefoucauld

One does not make friends. One recognizes them.

The flowers, the gorgeous, mystic, multi-colored flowers are not the flowers of life, but people, yes people are the true flowers of life; and it has been a most precious pleasure to have temporarily strolled in your garden.

Friends are never earned, they're a gift from the loving God and they're precious beyond human valuation, but you dare not take them for granted or they'll drift away like smoke and the warmth of their caring will vanish like the chill of the endless night. Most of my friends are unknown, and they probably won't rate an obituary unless they live and die in small towns where nothing much ever happens; but a few of my friends are big people, they've made the world ring with laughter down to its deep, burning core--they're famous, sensitive, talented, and their names are household words; yet they are no more precious in God's eyes or in mine than those wonderful nobodies who live and die in small towns. Who is your friend? He's someone who warms you with a nod, or with the unspoken words in hard times when you're hurting beyond words. Who is your friend? She's someone who holds you to her breast and signs softly into your hair when no other medicine can stop the pain. A friend is someone who clinks his glass against yours or answers the phone at three in the morning when you're lost and with a few words of encouragement and concern makes you realize you aren't really lost at all. Friends come in both sexes and in all shapes and sizes. The most important thing they have in common is the ability to share with you your most sky-splitting joys or your deepest, most awesome sorrows. For they are your friends.