Is one good friend enough, or do we need many?

“Make new friends but keep the old
One is silver and the other is gold”

I’d say that the answer to this question will probably be completely different from individual to individual. Some people are very social and feel the need to have many friends, while others only need a few to be happy. I used to be one of those who needed many (or at least I thought I did)... until I found out that when I have a great number of friends, none of them are really “true” friends. I spent too much time trying to be friends with, and spend time with, everyone, that I never really built any sustainable relationships. Now, I have many “acquaintences”, but only two or three real friends. These real friends are people who love me for my entire self, not just one part of me. They fit into every aspect of my life and I see them as often (if not more) than I see my family. I have had a lot of people come into my life, and then disappear… but the real friends I have now I know I will be friends with for a very long time.

@gambit: love the saying. I remember that one from wayyyy back :)

@dim: I agree that it is a personal choice. I like that you have a few good friends, and more ‘acquaintances’. This means you recognize what each friend brings to your life, and respect the institution of friendship.

@Siren – :-)

As long as you have ONE GOOD friend, consider yourself rich. :)
I have a couple of really good friends (I usually consider someone a GOOD friend, when I know that they would be the person I can call to take me to the airport, ha.)
I feel like a millionaire.

One is not enough.Why Because the pleasure of enjoying can t be only common with.

Good answers guys. I personally also like to ideally have more than one good friend, and many other friends. I think variety is the spice of life, and the more people we know, the more enriching our lives could be. I guess it just depends on our own circumstances though, and our state of mind at any given time/occasion.

I think that having a number of good friends in different circles can be very healthy… if the group is too close knit and all your friends are majorly involved with all of your other friends, one problem could effect all of your relationships at once, leaving you with very few, if any, friends to turn to. I found that having different sets of friends can be good because I can rant about a problem to someone who isn’t, and doesn’t have the potential to be, involved.

here here…good line of thinking on that last comment

I think is good if you have two or three great friends… also some good friends from different circles is good. That way you can share special things with everyone and at the same time create a really nice friendship. DO NOT HAVE ONE FRIEND. It could make you, or her, feel possesive and ruin the friendship.

I so agree May. Great comment.

I have different types of good friends. One best friend whom I love deeply. We are actively in touch – by phone, email or in person – at least weekly. One best ‘forever’ friend whom I also love deeply, but never see any more. If either of us needed the other we’d be there in a heart beat. Our best ‘couple’ friends, who we socialize with most often, and several friends that we occassionally socialize with.

Funny how the definition changes.I have a small group of close friends; we take each other for our colonoscopies.

Those are great friends Gailcalled. Those are keepers.

I don’t think it’s a matter of need, but more a matter of want. No one needs many friends.I only have about three people I would consider good, true friends. I’m not a very social person and I have extremely high standards when it comes to considering someone a friend. I have no desire to have acquaintances because I see them as a waste of time. I know it’s not the case for everyone and there’s nothing wrong with that, but I’d rather spend my time on people that I’m really close with already.

@drasticdreamer: to each his own

A wise man once told me that if you have as many good friends as you have fingers on one hand, you are a lucky guy. I am pretty lucky, as I have four friends I can depend on 110%. My wife is my best friend, so that makes five.

Im so happy for you evelyns pet zebra!! I think of myself as a really lucky person when it comes to friends too..

it depends, on where you started,

Many. But not too many.

I think when you get older you learn more about friendship. I am 25 now, and it is strange to think what I considered friendship in high school. I think you are truly blessed if you have one, even two true friends. You can have many aquaintances, which is fun too, but I only have a few people I can call true friends, and some of those are my family members. It is good to have friends like that in different circles, because when you become overly involved in eachothers lives, it can cause problems. I currently have lost a best friend because she was too close to every aspect of my life. Have those true friends, but make sure they don’t rule your life and that perhaps you all have separate lives from another.

Depends on your own needs, I have three very good friends but the one I tend to call on depends on the situation, and their field of expertise.
On the whole one person is not enough to cover all bases. seems like a sad statement to make

I count myself lucky to have two really close friends, one very good friend, several good acquaintances on whom I can call if I break a leg, and my sis and bro-in-law within 4 miles. This small town has the old-fashioned small town values, so I could call the local churches if I were really stuck or any of my neighbors on this 3 mile dirt road.

4 miles here is the equivalent of next-door in a suburb.