2 or 3 good friends is enough

Many people strive to amass as many friends as they possibly can. In my view, though, you only need two or three really good friends to feel fulfilled in life.

There's a marked difference between having a deep friendship with someone you trust entirely, and having more of a superficial relationship, where you might converse with each other once in a blue moon on Facebook or at a special occasion.

To me, building friendships isn't a numbers game. It's the quality, not the quantity, that truly counts.

In fact, I only have three real friends, all of whom I made groomsmen at my wedding. I've known one of them since kindergarten, the other since high school, and the third guy since my first semester of college.

While I may not be able to see or talk to them as often as I'd like, I know these guys are there for me when I need them -- just as I am for them. We have our occasional spats and differences of opinion, but the friendships are strong enough to survive any such disagreements.

I sincerely doubt my life would feel as fulfilling if I had a wide range of friends. The more friendships you have, the less time you can devote to each one. That prevents you from forming the deep bonds characteristic of friendships that have stood the test of time.

I respect people who feel having more friends makes for a more exciting social life. And I'm not saying that one should forgo having, say, five or even ten friendships if they so desire. I'm of the mindset that with two or three friends you can enjoy plenty of experiences, in turn creating wonderful memories that will last a lifetime.

Thus, one should never feel pressured into making many new friends just for the sake of increasing their Friends tally on Facebook or to appear more popular to others. If having just a handful of buddies is sufficient to you, then that's all that matters. Who cares what others think?

Do you have a small circle of friends, or a large one? Why?

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