Life can be a lonely thing without friends. Acquaintances ( 熟人 ) are easy to come by but true friends are a whole other story. 1 Learn these four steps if you ’ d like to be a true friend that can be relied on. ● Be present for their highs and lows. If you’re absent during my struggle, don’t expect to be present during my success. — Will Smith It ’ s easy to be there for our friends when they ask us out for fun things, 2 You might not feel comfortable while spending time with an emotionally weak person on the verge of tears, but true friends are always there when they ’ re needed the most. ● 3 . When people talk, listen completely. Most people never listen. — Ernest Hemingway Give your friend the gift of silence so they can drop their baggage and get on with living. ● Accept them as they are. Happiness can exist only in acceptance. — George Orwell If you can’t accept a person as they are , you will never know the feeling of true friendship . 4 . ● Forgive the past. Holding onto anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die. — Buddha 5 If so, you should understand that even the best of us suffer from the occasional slip of the tongue. Holding onto anger over a small mistake will make you look petty( 小气的) , so let it go.