No man is an island. Everyone likes company. Who doesn't? From the moment we learn how to socialize, we have always been surrounded by friends. A wide circle of friends is what we all desire. One who is without friends, who shuns company, is often considered antisocial. When we were much younger, we treated our parents as our lifeline. They were the ones who fed us, clothed us and protected us. however, as we grow older, this role is increasingly being replaced by our friends. As parents become less important in their guardianship role over us, we depend more and more on our friends for survival and growth.

What are friends? Friends are definitely not people whom we just know on a superficial level. Those whom we know but not too well are merely acquaintances. Friends are the only ones, apart from our parents, who know us well. Merely knowing and understanding us is still not enough; enemies and foes also know and understand us, but they simply utilize this knowledge against us. Friends must also look out for our interests. Friends must help us see the stupidity of our actions, and stand by us when we are in trouble.

Of course, friends also mean companionship. Teenagers are much more likely to confide in their friends than their family members, including their parents. Friends keep us company, share our joys and pains, and so on. These are just some of the benefits of friends.

Hence, it makes perfect sense to have friends. Our ultimate survival depends on them. True friends are hard to find, however, so we should treasure them when we have them. In short, true friends are the only people who will stick by us, stand up for us, and share our happiness and sadness. True friends are definitely more valuable than any other material goods in the world.