Friendship rescues us from loneliness'

We've always known that friendship is important, but there are still interesting questions about it that keep philosophers busy.

- Alexander McCall Smith

What do we owe our friends? Is it possible to be a friend to a person who isn't honest or reliable? How many friends can the average person have? These questions continue to interest those who think about friendship in our lives.

I have always admired people with a talent for friendship. I often wonder about how they do it, and have reached the conclusion that the real key is openness. Friendship is about admitting other people into your life, and becoming, in your turn, part of theirs.