It Is Foreign To Me

I have had a best friend since 4th grade. My husband on the other hand has not had a best friend either. His family moved around alot. My best friend was so great because she was the one that kept in touch with me so much after I had moved away & now we haven't seen each other much, but we still stay in touch. It is just nice to know you have a friend that will be there for you no matter what someone says or does ;o).

I guess that is a matter of perspective. If you are content, then I say it isn't a problem. I have had a friend, literally, all of my life. We have been there for each other every step of our lives. I hate to think what MY life would have been like, had she not been in it..

It has not been a part of my human experience.

Some people have never fallen in love, but their perception of the world is just as valid as those of people who have fallen in love.
I have a lot of great friends, but none are in my everyday life--so, my "best" friends are occasional. Perhaps this skews my perception of life.

I think the "best friend" is more of a female thing- I've had plenty in my life, while men just have friends, close friends, people they hang out with, and really old friends... it's just a label

Dan...I believe "true" best friends are actually few and far between. I have only had 5
"best" friends in my life....and they are the kind of friends I could have no contact with for years, but then if we run into one another, it would be like no time has gone by.

I have never been female and don't know what it's like.

A very good question and very good answers. i can't think of any way to add to this discussion (my brain must be fried).



Strategies for Living With a Mental Illness Tip #3

It's a Friday. Maybe it's supposed to be called Fried Day.

No Dan, it's "fried night"... You are supposed to call the local restaurant and order all the fried appetizers for dinner... I look forward to fried night and now you reminded me that I want one... Now I have to wait a whole week... lol

yes... mine drove 400 miles each way not long ago because he was worried about me..... then a few weeks later did it again.

you are missing out.. but the only way to have a best friend is to be one.

Yes, you are missing out. My best friend is there for me whenever I need her, and I always know she will be there if I need her. I don't necessarily talk to her every day, or even every week, but I know she's there and she knows I'm here. What could be better.

they truly are hard to come by.

If your life is complete and you are happy, then you are not missing out at all. I've had best friends before and still do but OMG, it is very difficult to handle when a best friend goes bad! Yikes! When they turn on you for no apparent reason and you are left grieving from the death of your friendship is very painful and quite crappy!

Dan, my daughter is my best friend. She probably always would have been my best friend. Watching her get run down by a drunk driver, and us being left with the wreckage, that only cememted out bond. We have double dated, shopped, I have facilitated her activities just as I did in nursing, but had to let go of the vision of her being a child, without abandoning her as a human, Therefore, not only is she the best friend I have left, but we have an attatchment that goes beyond separation anxiety, beyond conventional wisdom of parenting. We have the friendship of two adult women , living together, mistaken for lesbians, but best friends whose relationship is tested , stretched, poked, prodded, and questioned daily.

I don't know. Maybe it's like dessert. If you've never had it you wonder what the fuss is all about. Yet once you have, you wonder how you ever got along without it. I mean, it's not so much that you need it for nutritional value or anything. And sometimes you're not even physically hungry for it. But you know, sometimes nothing can close out or top off a meal quite like your favorite dessert. It just adds a certain something to the experience, you know?

I would rather not have a best friend than to have a worst enemy. If you like people and people like you then you're doing alright.

Definitely a matter of perspective.

not sure - I have many good friends - do you call them best friends - I do not know. But generally it is someone you hang with solely and that can be for a lot of reasons. Then I guess you are best friends

Have never had a best friend, so I cannot be of any help understanding the concept. The closest thing I could call a "best friendship" is the relationship I have with my wife Ann. Not sure that counts though.

My husband is my best friend, but then I also have my best friend Sheila, she lives in South Dakota & I'm in Texas...but we get together & go to Costa Rica every once in awhile.

Really best friends are so rare. I have had one who I could share anything and he could share with me. We laughed, teased each other, and my life was better. Unfortuneately he died at 48. I have had good friends but never a friend like Gary.

I suspect that Aspies and people with Autism are less likely to have a "best friend" than Neurotypical people who are more socially inclined.

I have had a few people over the years whom I've called my best friend, but I can't say that they really fit the criteria so much as that they were MY closest friend at the time. Sadly, I am no longer in contact with any of them... so how "best" could they really have been?

I moved around a lot but have had a best friend for 30 years. that is a long time. We'll be best friends forever.

I don't know if you lose perspective or not. Will you be surprised if a best friend comes to her friends appt just because? Or comes along with the parent of a baby to see if he or she can help with details and such?

If you understand friendship, then maybe you will be okay until you find a best friend.

On the contrary Dan, since you have not placed a label on the concept of a "Best Friend", you have created the potential of living a richer fuller experience than your peer simply because you have not placed the restraints and rules that coinside with the definition of that label. Just my humble opinion.

I am very blessed to have good friends and colleagues. I've had many standouts throughout life, but I couldn't peg one as a 'best friend'.

My husband is my best friend ... but I have two best girl friends who have been there for me through thick and thin (literally too ha, ha ... now thicker than thin).

I can't imagine my life without them ... one best friend lives far away now. And we don't talk as frequently, but I know that I will always be able to pick up the phone and know that I can count on her no matter what!!

Maybe your family has been that for you and you'll have a best friend later in life?? I'm not sure exactly how old you are Dan?

I'm pushing 40 and have moved around quite a bit through under grad and grad school...

It sounds like you are very busy with school and all the other clubs/associations that you are president, etc.... maybe once you graduate and are among the gainfully employed things will be different???

But life is to short not to have some close connections that you can really share your life with!

I have never had a best friend....I guess my wife is my best friend.

Nice Post, Please Feel Free To Take A Look At My Work As Well.

I don't think you miss out on not having a best friend. It is kinda cool though to look back on all the memories. My best friend and I have known each other since we were 2, and we're both almost 21.

Here to spread some Christmas Cheer!!!!! Merry Christmas!

Thank you for posting this article. I am just stopping in to give you a 10 and to let you know I appreciate your posting here!

Take care! more

a good article and a lot of good comments, I have had several best friends throughout my life. some for as long as 22 years and some for as short as 1 or 2 years.!!!! For me a best friend is someone I trust completely and share everything with and they reciprocate!

Right now my hubby is the best of my best friends!!

I am commenting on all of your articles and photos as you have asked us to do in the mass email sent out! Not all my comments will be personalized as there are 20 pages of articles to read through and even more than that on photos and I would rather spend the time reading and looking and enjoying then writing! Btw I saw you were listed as having 20 pages of articles but it will only let me see 19 of them so I will Comment on everything it lets me see!

Thanks For Your Thoughts Everyone.

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