Why friends are our real soulmates

Love can come and go, but it’s with friends we often form our most enduring relationships. Author Elizabeth Day digs deep – and also explains why not all friends are created equal

What is a friend? A single soul dwelling in two bodies." So said Greek philosopher Aristotle sometime around 350 BC, showing that even in ancient times friendship was seen as one of the most important relationships in a person's life. And who among us would disagree with that, all these years later? Good friends simply make life better. In a recent study by the University of Queensland as part of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health, it was found that middle-aged women who had good friendships may be better protected from chronic health conditions in later years. Another study that compared breast cancer patients who had close friends to those who had none showed those with friends quadrupled their chance of survival. Basically, friends help us live longer.

Friendships are equally as meaningful for the young. A 2020 study by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare found that more than four in five respondents aged 15 to 19 rated their friendships as being either extremely important or very important, which was a little higher than the rating given to family. Popular shows such as Seinfeld, Friends, Girls, Sex and the City, How I Met Your Mother and, yes, even The Real Housewives franchise, have shown the enduring love we have for our friends.