The return to normal activities, work, or studies  often brings with it the chance to reconnect with  friends   from our hometowns . This has led me to reflect on   who  true friends are —those who remain by our side  through thick and thin . A great sage and saint,   Saint Thomas Aquinas, says :   “Friendship is a rich human reality: a form of reciprocal love between two people built on mutual knowledge and communication .” These are wise words with which Aquinas advises us that   we must get to know each other, interact with each other, and communicate —in short, step outside ourselves—to forge bonds of friendship.

True friendship is loyal and sincere . Friendship is genuine, two-way communication where experiences are shared and we learn from one another. Good communication, shared aspirations, mutual confidences, appreciation, admiration, and respect create strong bonds of friendship that endure despite distance and time.

True friends share joys, dreams, and plans, and also sorrows .   Friendship is a type of love that flows in both directions and desires the best for the other person, a love that produces unity and happiness  (John Paul II). Some classical thinkers pointed out that  to be happy, it is necessary to have friends .

One of the manifestations of friendship is the   willingness to help others , out of   pure generosity , and without giving up in the face of difficulties. True friends are those who lift you up when others haven’t even noticed you’ve fallen. Another great manifestation is understanding, which, although not easy, enriches us by allowing us to perceive reality differently from our own, and also broadens our perspective.   To love others   means recognizing them as they are, with their virtues and flaws, so we must look at them with affection, without prejudice, seeing the good in each person, and we must relinquish the desire to mold them in our own image.

Friendship involves the free endeavor of   discovering and wanting the good of the other , of making their life more pleasant . Friendships arise between people who strive to be welcoming, kind, patient, cheerful, and so on; all these virtues make living together easy and enjoyable.  Friends require   time and proper attention , which often demands setting aside our own preferences and comforts.

On the other hand,   friendship carries the risk of not being reciprocated , but without fear, one must continue taking risks and seeking opportunities where new friendships can arise. Furthermore, experience shows us that sometimes friends are lost, although  their recovery is always possible if both parties desire it , as Saint Bernard advises:  “When you see something wrong in your friend, do not judge him immediately; on the contrary, try to excuse him in your heart; excuse the intention, think that he did it out of ignorance, by surprise, or unfortunately .” When a friend is lost   , “ Something dies in the soul when a friend leaves , ” as a Sevillana song says.

A true friend does not betray ; he never speaks ill of his friend, nor allows him to be criticized, nor does he abandon him in times of trouble; he is not envious,  (…) . True friendship is selfless, for it consists more in giving than in receiving; it does not seek personal gain; it asks for sacrifices, integrity, and the exchange of favors, of noble and lawful services. And, finally, like almost everything in this life,   friendship is strengthened in adversity .