Friendship is built on a myriad of emotions- some good and some bad. It is a deeply vulnerable experience that exposes us to a variety of people right from our childhood to our adulthood. Our friendships shape us as humans and become one of the few focal points of our lives. So much so that a few phases of our lives, like our school and college years, are very much defined by our friendships.
From the smaller life lessons like loyalty to the bigger ones like trusting the right people, friendships lay the foundation for living life the right way. It teaches us the essence of every relationship and prepares us for future encounters. Be it the thoughtfulness learned by buying special gifts for friends online or the forgiveness learned through petty fights, our friends make us well-rounded human beings.
Friendship brings us joy, encouragement, peace, and solace but not without its own share of heartbreaks. After all, it is one of our first experiences of understanding another person and doing our best to get along with them. Any friendship is like a speeding roller coaster that takes us on big highs- enough to keep us grinning wide- and big lows-enough to make us question our self-worth. While all our efforts in building good friendships might not result in fruition, they always end in some meaningful life lessons.
Now, we don’t treat every friendship the same, as some we leave behind and some we hold onto dearly. Some ‘low-maintenance friendships’ allow us to be carefree and comfortable, while some become just a bittersweet memory. The kind of friendships that don’t demand us to change- that are genuine and deep- are the ones we cherish forever. But only the lucky few get to experience them.
With the spirit of Friendship day in the air, let’s commemorate what makes ‘low-maintenance friendships’ the absolute best. Keep reading if you want to reminisce about the bond you share with your true friends who have stood by you despite the test of the times. So, here we go with our list of qualities that mark low-maintenance friendships.
- Your friend understands your time constraints and doesn’t demand unrealistic expectations to be met by you. Your friendship with them doesn’t revolve around daily phone calls and meet-up sessions. Even the distance between you can’t dampen the care you feel for each other, as you have been there for each other through thick and thin. You respect each other’s time and don’t jump to conclusions as to why the other party has not replied to your message. There is no such thing as obligatory greetings between you and your friend as a way to keep up fake appearances.
- Every time you meet it feels like nothing has changed or that no time has passed. There is no awkwardness in the air, and the conversation flows smoothly. While you don’t meet your friend often, when you do time seems to stop, and you spend hours together. You love their company and often lose track of time when you meet them. Months don’t seem like months when it comes to your friendship with them, as it is not about the time you were apart but the time you spent together.
- You feel genuinely happy for each other’s successes and unconditionally support each other. You don’t have to walk on eggshells around your friend regarding your success as they don’t react negatively to it. You have each other’s back if something goes wrong personally and professionally, but at the same time respect the boundaries you have set. Your friend doesn’t play mind games with you and doesn’t emotionally drain you with jealousy and gossiping behind your back. Overall, you can be true to yourself in their company, and they don’t judge you for that. You both cheer for each other and are selfless in the love you have for each other. So, while the time apart might seem like distance to someone else, you know your best friend will be there when it counts the most.
Now that you are beaming ear to ear thinking of your friend while reading this, you might as well give them a call. Tell them you appreciate them for being such a fabulous friend. With Friendship Day just around the corner, you can even go a step further and buy special gifts for friends online or at a nearby store.