Catholic & Single Cut the 'friend fat' out of your life

Dec 1, 2010

Take a look at this Jimmy Kimmel video where he declares “National Unfriend Day” (with a funny cameo by William Shatner). He questions the concept of Facebook “friends.” He encourages people to “unfriend” those who aren’t true friends.

I have to admit that I share his view. His points are amusing, but I think they are valid. There is a breakdown with the fundamental meaning of friendship. Much like the word “love,” the word “friend” is a term used quite loosely that can often have no real meaning.

The concept of what a friend is has a broad spectrum of meaning, depending on each person’s frame of reference. To some people, a friend is someone you can trust to be there for you, regardless of what happens. To others, a friend is an acquaintance, someone to keep in the network of all other persons they want to keep in touch with.

The word friend also has a negative connotation to some when it comes to dating in the sense of break ups. “Let’s just be friends” is another way of saying that you are no longer interested in pursuing a romantic relationship toward marriage. So we cringe at that very statement when we are dating someone we really like.

For myself, I take the word friend very seriously. I have used it rarely. I have had very few people in my life who I would truly and sincerely call a friend. For me, a friend means a person whom God has brought into your life as a gift, whom you want to get to know, who is loved unconditionally for the person they are and not the things they do, who is trusted and depended on to be there no matter what.

It is voluntary and mutual. There is a desire to be in each other’s company, and to share things that are deeper than the surface only because you know this person wants to know these things and can be trusted with them. True friends bring out the best in each other and will stand and defend you where others would abandon you. They are there when you fail in your life, or even when you hurt them. They look out for your best interests, and tell you what you need to hear, not just what you want to hear.

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