Friends
I am not a person who has loads and loads of friends and a hectic social life, so this page is going to be a bit thin on the ground.....
I make a distinction between friends and acquaintances.... friends are those people who are there for help, advice, comfort whenever they are needed. They are people on whom one can rely and place trust. They are people who one does not have to see on a regular basis, but when you do see them it is as if you last saw them the day before. Nothing changes over time. They are people whom I feel I could turn to in times of need, and they and they are people to whom I would always be more than willing to reciprocate the kindness and assistance.
Acquaintances on the other hand are the people whom one knows well, meet with socially, but with whom regular contact is essential in order to maintain the friendship. The relationship will be lost if contact is broken or not maintained. As I am not a person with a heavy social calendar, I do not have that many acquaintances either.
