There are lots of ways to measure friendship. One that my father taught me and has always stayed with me surrounds how people respond when good things happen for you.
A true friend is happy for you when you are successful, a true friend is happy for you when you fall in love, a true friend is happy for you when you get a promotion, win a car, go on a fabulous vacation, and all the other good things that will happen in your life.
How people respond when good things happen for you says a lot about who they are, their intentions, their motivations in life, and how they care for others.
When something wonderful happens in your life, a true friend doesn’t try to one-up you. He or she takes delight in your happiness. And so, what we discover is that healthy self-esteem is essential to friendship, because only those with a healthy sense of self can rejoice in other people’s success and happiness.
Matthew Kelly
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