In my experience, nothing adversely affects a friendship more than the following: Broken trust because of a lie or some other misdeed Distance (one or both parties move) Change of lifestyle (someone gets married, has kids, etc.) I've had friendships with certain people end for one or more of these reasons. And even the ones I've been able to maintain to this day have been tested by at least one of the above circumstances.  Keeping a friendship these days is not easy work. We all seem to be getting busier and busier with each passing year. But it seems forging new friendships is an even more arduous task. It isn't as easy to do now as it was back in college -- not by a long shot.  That's why it's important to keep the lines of communication open with friends you do want to keep in your life. Carve out a little time each week for a phone call or text message. Whether your friends live hundreds of miles away or right around the corner, you never know w...

This topic hits close to home, as my friendship with my closest friend is all but dead at this juncture. As I wrote in prior posts, he and I have not been seeing eye to eye, and I think I've reached the point where I must come to grips with the fact that, after nearly 12 years, our friendship can no longer be salvaged. So, below I list the 3 things I feel can be fatal to a friendship. I have certainly found this to be the case in my life. 1. Lack of trust/communication: If there's a lack of trust and openness in a friendship, that poses a serious problem. You simply can't be friends with someone you can't confide in. Your friend should be willing to listen to you vent about your girlfriend or be there to help you change a tire should you need him. Communication is also key when it comes to resolving arguments between the two of you. My aforementioned friend happens to do just the opposite -- he has hung up in my face a few times and gives me the silent treatment aft...

My biggest regret is not making more friends in college. As we speak, I only have three strong in-person friendships. I've known one guy for 12 years, the other for 15, and the third one since kindergarten. The rest of my friends are merely acquaintances -- people you say hi to on Facebook every once in a while or see only at special occasions. I'm the type of person who would rather have 3 really strong friendships than a slew of superficial convenience-type ones. Still, it would have been interesting to make at least a couple more friends in college and see if those bonds would stand the test of time, distance, and change of lifestyle. Let's face it. After college, our lives change, as do we. And once a spouse and kids are thrown into the picture, we may not have as much time left over for friends. Family comes first. I'm thankful for the opportunity to make so many online friends through this blog. I consider you all more than readers -- you're true frien...