Mysterious_Color said:
It is quite possible that there are as many definitions of "friend" as there are people, so to speak.
At the very least, a friend should have the understanding, capacity, ability, and willingness on the following things (this is not meant to be an exhaustive list):
Communicate/be a good listener - Talk. Listen. Strive to understand each other. Take turns. Don't dominate the conversation.
Be kind/caring - A friend respects you and is considerate of your feelings, needs, weaknesses, other commitments, etc. A friend is not someone who says or does things to you that you don't want to be said or done to you.
Be honest/trustworthy - A friend is someone who would be truthful and not lie to you. They tell you what they think and how they feel about things. They keep their promises no matter how big or small. They are responsible and reliable.
Forgive - Almost no healthy human relationship of any kind can survive if one or both parties hold resentments or grudges against the other. The world is not perfect. People are not perfect. Mistakes happen. When there's a conflict, calmly and maturely talk about it. No name-calling, profanity, or bringing up unrelated topics, that's just childish. Talk about what happened, why it has caused upset, and how can the situation be resolved and then move forward together. Don't waste life by dwelling on the past. Be reasonable towards each other. Be compassionate towards each other.
Accept - A friend is someone who accepts you for who you are, flaws and all. He or she shouldn't be trying to make you change any part of who you are (but if you're cutting your wrist or planning suicide then that's a different story).
Be present - A friend is someone who is with you right in the here-and-now in the present moment for the past is gone and the future has not arrived. He or she still appreciates the person you are now, however different you may be from the past. Things are constantly changing. A friend is someone who is still standing there when everything around has changed.
Be with you - "No one is too busy. It just depends on what number you are on their priority list." I forgot who wrote this, but there is some truth in those words. A friend who frequently doesn't make time to meet and hangout with you probably doesn't care about you all that much. A friend will make time to be with you to celebrate those small victories and those big milestones in life, to hangout and waste time together, and to support you when you're going through the tough times in your life.
Once again, this is not meant to be an exhaustive list. But if it has helped someone, then I'm glad.
