A high school history teacher once told us, "If you make one close friend in school,you will be most fortunate. A true friend is someone who stays with you for life ." Experience teaches that he was right Good friendship is just not easily formed.

It is possible that we simply do not stay in one place long enough for true friendship to develop. However, there can be no disagreement on the need for each of us to think carefully about the kind of friendship we want.

To most of us, friendships are considered very important, but we need to have clear in our minds the kinds of friendship we want Are they to be close or kept at arm’s length? Do we want share ourselves or do we want to walk on the surface? For some people, many friendships on the surface are. Quite enough-and that's all right. But at some point we need to make sure that our expectations. the same as our friends' expectations. The sharing of personal experience in cluding our tears as well as our dark dreams is the surest way to deepen friendships. But it must be undertaken slowly and carried on only if there are signs of interest and action in return.

What are some of the difficulties ship? The greatest is the attraction to expect too much too soon Deep relationships take time. Another "major difficulty" is the selfishness to think one "possesses" the other, including his time and attention. Similarly, friendships require actions in return. In other words, you must give as much as you take. Finally there is a question of taking care of. Unless you spend reasonable time together, talking on the phone, writing letters, doing things together, friendships will die away.

——Quoted from a cloze test.