I was under the impression that true friends are those who don’t cast you aside when things are hard. That is not the right bar.

Real friends are those who acknowledge your hardships; reach out and support you through them. They may do this in a number of ways: bolster your spirits; console and comfort you; pull you up when you are down; simply sit beside you. They may do just one of these or all of them. That is not important.

What matters is that they make you feel less alone, more loved.