Friends are life's finest blessings. "Friend" and "free" are from the same root word; perhaps because you are free to be yourself with a friend.

"Is there any miracle on earth to compare with that of discovering a new friend, or having that friend discover you?" pondered Alex Noble in Moments of Stillness. "So much is at stake, but I will gladly risk everything to give a promising relationship a chance."

Our friends know us, support us and understand us. Sweet and steady, with a friend you can be yourself, share your thoughts, your craziness, and your dreams.

"A friend is a gift you give yourself," said novelist and poet Robert Louis Stevenson.

Friendships keep you healthy. Studies have shown that people with little social contact had higher blood pressure. Women with metastatic breast cancer lived longer if they were part of a weekly support group.

Another studied proved that those with little or no friends had two to four times the risk of dying prematurely, regardless of age and other factors.

"A friend," said poet Henry Van Dyke, "is what the heart needs all the time."

Friends help you work through problems, they listen and give encouragement. There is nothing like the comfort and compassion of a close friend. Friends help you to grow and celebrate life.

As journalist Timothy White put it, "Like creativity, friendship is a sudden spark, appreciated and protected. Chance provides the opportunity; care preserves the light."

Friendships ebb and flow like the azure waves at Lanikai Beach on Oahu's Windward side. Our relationships go through cycles, sometimes trailing off, sometimes returning stronger than ever. Friendships are loving relationships. They are special gifts you give to each other.

More FRIENDSHIP Quotations

The bird a nest
the spider a web
the human friendship.
~ William Blake