The Value of Friendship

Over the past couple of weeks the topic of friendship is something that I have been thinking a lot about. What exactly it is and who is considered a friend. I have learned a lot through my pondering. In my psychology homework I stumbled upon a Japanese word that I think comes very close to a definition of friendship. The word is amae. The translation is: "the pleasant feeling of depending on someone else" or "the feeling of comfort in another person's acceptance." This may be different for different people but I believe that this adequately describes not only the question of what friendship is but also who true friends are. Family members can be friends. Over the past few weeks, I have been able to have correspondence with many, but unfortunately not all, of my friends whether it be a small sentence on facebook or a conversation via phone or otherwise. I am so grateful for my friends. They do give me that comforting feeling that I feel is needed for survival. As stated in the translation, it really is a pleasant feeling brought on by feeling accepted. Without pleasant experiences in life, a depressed soul is bound to be the outcome of a simple day. Life is meant for happiness; therefore, life is meant for friendship. I would do anything for my friends. I would die for them because of the huge blessing that they are in my life. To my family, past schoolmates, current schoolmates, mission friends, the amazing people that I met on my mission, my church friends, and any others that I may have missed, thank you and I love you.