Friendship is both a source of pleasure and a component of good health. People who have close friends naturally enjoy their company. Of equal importance are the concrete emotional benefits they derive. When something sensational happens to you, sharing the happiness of the occasion with friends intensifies our joy. Conversely, in times of trouble and tension, when our spirits are low, unburdening our worries and fears to compassionate friends alleviates the stress. More over, we may even get some practical suggestions for solving a particular problem.

Throughout life, we rely on small groups of people for love, admiration, respect, moral support, and help. Almost everyone has a "network" of friends: co-workers, neighbors, and schoolmates. While both men and women have such friends, evidence is accumulating that indicates men rarely make close friends. Men are sociable and frequently have numerous business acquaintances, gulf buddies, and so on. However, friendship does not merely involve a sharing of activities; it is a sharing of self on a very personal level. Customarily, men have shied away from close relationships in which they confide in others. By bottling up their emotions, men deprive themselves of a healthy outlet for their negative feelings.

Circumstances and people are constantly changing. Some friendship is an essential ingredient in the making of a healthful, rewarding life.