True Friendship: Trust, Transparency, and Integrity

I saw a writing prompt and I had to share my response here, I found my response more nuanced than what I would have responded with in the past…

Here’s the prompt: What quality do you value most in a friend?

My small circle.

I have spent a lot of time thinking about this lately.

When it comes to friends I'm fortunate to have friends that are genuinely some of the greatest people I have ever met.

They may not know that I hold them in such high regard, but I have some very good friends that are one of a kind.

My circle is small nowadays, but the people who are around are supportive, empathetic, all the things you would want; but the one thing that sticks out the most with these people is integrity.

I trust these friends in ways I never would have trusted my closest family in the past, and I can only attribute that to their integrity.

What is integrity?

You see, I used to think integrity was a word that meant someone with a positive personality. I thought it was all about how you treat others in every moment; but in reality, it is how you are being in every moment.

It goes beyond treating someone a certain way and goes more into how you carry yourself mentally, physically, and spiritually.

You can almost see it radiate off a person when they seem to have that quality. I trust my friends in more ways than just trusting someone with a key or an even a kid. I trust my friends in ways that I believe they know my heart.

They know what my decision would be, they know what that voice in my head is probably saying. That is how I know they care, they show reciprocity in my curiosity of their lives and struggles.

They want to know me on a deeper level than I think I have ever experienced.

Conversations are key.

There is also a power in conversation, communication, and honesty that sort of... naturally unfolds when you find your circle.

It's symptomatic of finding that integral group.

When people can trust each other truly on every level, we start to connect on the things that we wouldn't necessarily talk about in the first place.

So what would I say is the quality I value most overall? Honesty.

True, unabridged, uncensored honesty when it matters the most.

When a friend is willing to step in, step up, or step out when it's appropriate; that is when I think you find lasting friendships and relationships that are worth the effort.