I know that I am extremely lucky to have several great friends that I believe would do anything for me and I know I would give a kidney, half my liver, my legs, and arms to save any of them. The best friends are the ones that call you out when you are lying or are having issues but don't want to talk about it. 

My best friend, Beth, is more like a sister than a friend now. Life without her seems impossible and even living without her family seems difficult. We've become so close that she's considered part of my family and I am considered part of hers. The best part of this friendship is that we manage to hang onto it no matter how far away we are from each other. Beth lived in Germany for two years and now she goes to school in Pennsylvania while I am in Chicago. We still are close and she's one of the few people I'd call at 2 a.m. with a not-so-huge problem, but something is on my mind. 

I think good friends also push you outside of your comfort zone. By outside of your comfort zone I do not, by any means, mean peer pressure. I mean that they push you to fulfill your potential. I met a friend this year in college who has pushed me to do things that I would have been terrified to do before. I never have had fears of things besides social situations and she's helped me get out of that pattern. I opened myself up to more people and started dating again after trauma. 

A good friend accepts you for who you are and doesn't make you change. Acceptance is one of the basic human needs and without it, we can't be happy. When you find a friend who knows you and loves you anyway, that friend is worth keeping around.