The Foundations of Friendship

Ancient Greek philosophers truly revered the concept of friendship, and spent much of their time defining, shaping, and discovering the answer to a phenomenal question: What exactly are the components of true friendship? A highly respected philosopher, Cicero, believed that “friendship is the only thing in this world, the usefulness of which all mankind are in agreement.” In essence, friendship is based on a companionship involving mutual love, self-love, virtue, and hard work. As Cicero …

…friendship that most people do not normally ponder over the course of an average day; however, those same people are practicing these principles without even thinking about them. These are the foundations for true friendships. Yes, there are many different kinds of friendships, as well as many levels, but the same underlying ideology is found in them all. The values of mutual love, self-love, virtue, and maintenance are all essential to lasting and educational friendships.