Has your idea of what makes a good friend changed as you’ve gotten older?
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My idea of what a good friend has not changed. To me, a good friend is someone who is honest, dependable, and willing to listen, even when the conversation is uncomfortable. A good friend respects my boundaries, supports my growth, and is genuinely happy for me when things go well, not just present when things are difficult or convenient for them. Over time, I began to notice that some people I once considered close friends were no longer showing these qualities. They became distant, inconsistent, or only reached out when they needed something, and they stopped putting in the same care and effort that I did. Because of this, they no longer qualified, in my mind, as good friends, even though my standard of what a good friend should be has stayed the same.