Friendships are unique relationships

Unlike family relationships, we choose to enter into friendships. And unlike other voluntary bonds, like marriages and romantic relationships, they lack a formal structure. 

You wouldn’t go months without speaking to or seeing your significant other (hopefully), but you might go that long without contacting a friend.

There are three expectations of a close friend that people describe and value across the entire life course.

• Somebody to talk to
• Someone to depend on
• Someone to enjoy

The beautiful, special thing about friendship is that friends are friends because they want...