On friends

"A friend is someone who knows all about you, and loves you just the same" reads an embroidered sampler in my home, made for me by and old and dear friend. I treasure it not only because she made it for me, but also because of what it says. I wrote about it once, but I have been thinking about friendship lately, so I felt like writing about it again.
"A friend knows all about you"....this part takes both of you to accomplish. You have to be honest and open, as well as trusting and respectful of your friend. Your friend has to be a good listener, trustworthy and nonjudgmental. Taken together, these are all qualities to look for both in a true friend and in yourself.
"And loves you just the same".....speaks of unconditional Love. To love without condition....means Here and Now no matter what they do or say, or don't do or say. And that includes yourself, too. Loving yourself unconditionally is practically a prerequisite for loving another unconditionally.
So, a true friend knows you and loves you, and knowing more about you, still loves you.
It is wonderful when that knowing and loving goes both ways. I count that happening a few times in my life. I have always been more about quality than quantity when it comes to friends. I would rather have one true friend than a dozen acquaintances. Most of all, I aspire to be a true friend.