When you’re in your 20s, you typically have the most friendships you will ever have in your life. As you approach your 30s and get older, your friendship circles might get a little smaller as you look for quality over quantity. It’s important to know what a good friend is and isn’t.

What is the difference between good company and good friends? Good company is like the fruit that grows on an apple tree. They are colorful, bright, and easily within your grasp. Good friends are like the roots of a tree. They are firm, deeply rooted, and require time to grow. Both serve a purpose in your life, and while neither is bad, it’s important to be able to tell the difference and understand which category the people in your life fall into.

Now that you know what good company and good friends are, here’s how to tell the difference between the two.

Good Company Requires Little Effort

It’s an investment and commitment. The good thing about good company is that it’s easy and it does not require much of you. You can bond with a stranger at a bar or a sports game and be in the presence of good company. However, good friendship takes time and effort to build. We all walk through different stages of life, and as we progress, a good friend adapts, pivots, and grows with us. They put in the work to make the friendship last through conflict, over distance and time.

Good Friends Are Not Just For The Good Times

While you can grab a photo-worthy moment in the presence of good company, good friends are there for you in the moments where you’d rather no one see you. They show up for you in sickness, loneliness, and moments of despair. They offer a shoulder to cry on, and they don’t turn away from the hard moments.

Good company is the life of the party and fun. It can add joy and laughter to your day. This might be the friend you text about the latest reality TV show episode or the coworker you go to Happy Hours with each week. A good friend, however, is steady, loyal, and shows up for you in the highs and lows in life. While they bring joy to your life, they are not the people you solely call on for fun. They are anchors in your life that will remain no matter what life throws at you.

Good Friends Will Challenge You

Good company is all about the highs of life. You choose to spend time with people who are good company because they bring joy and goodness to your life. Good friendship, on the other hand, isn’t picture perfect. True friends will experience conflict. They will walk through hard times together, but the good thing is they are made to withstand the ups and downs.

Good Friendships Can Last Forever

Good company will come and go in your life, and that’s OK. You are meant to have seasonal and temporary friendships and connections. Good and true friendships are meant to go the distance and will sustain throughout the different seasons of your life.

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