Knowing Your Friends through Different Layers of Attachment

The meaning of the word “friend” varies with the conceptual description of an individual…and sometimes also, basing on his own experience. As we all know “experience is the best teacher”, a very over-used line but grudgingly, still a fact.

Friends can be defined through “layers” of feelings or attachment:

• New friend. You can call someone a friend even if he is just an acquaintance: I want you to meet my new friend.  This stage can move on into a deeper relationship or will remain in the “hi and hello” stage.
•  “Hi and hello” friend- this can be a newly-meet friend or an old acquaintance. The friendship didn’t prosper but still existing.
• An Ally. Others call someone a friend if he is not a foe: is he a friend or an enemy? This kind of friendship is a “freelancer”. 
• “Affinity” friend. There is an affection existing between two individuals. A rapport. This feeling is not measured with the length of time. There are persons who “clicked” even just newly acquainted; and there are “friends” who remain on the “hi and hello” stage even after years of knowing each other.
• Good friends- there are emotional ties existing between individuals. Trust and affection is starting to develop.
• Best friends/special friends- they say that you only have one best friend (that’s why there is that superlative “best” which means the “most”); however, there are times when some things needed to be said to one person and can’t be told to another even those different persons are both very close to your heart. It does liken to some personal things of a woman (make-ups, etc.) each is different and has its own particular usage; all are important but each has its own specific role, same as in individuals. So, you can have as many best friends as you can, depending on your degree of needs or depending on how many special friends you have keep through the years.

Friendship can be found and developed even in a distance, especially nowadays wherein the modern technology bridges the gaps between places...and between people even of different races. A person can have “instant friends” though websites. Nowadays, being old is not a hindrance in learning and adapting to the “internet age” although of course, older people find it harder...to “start”. Upon learning the basics, they just content themselves to the simple  and uncomplicated knowledge offered by the “new world” (emails, chat, simple games, and research). The important thing is, they can communicate with friends and loved ones.

Not straying away from the main topic which is "friend and its layers of emotional ties", another kind of friend or friendship exists. Although it’s not between individuals, there is also an emotional attachment present in this kind of “friendship”. As dog is a man’s best friend before, PC and/or cell phones are the modern best friends of today’s civilization. These things are like body part’s extensions which are very important to one’s existence and vital contemporary means for nurturing relationships (communications)… like in friendship and love.