The response to last week’s blog on Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King almost made me cry (see the comments). It’s so sweet to see so many people with precious, decade-spanning relationships.

I’ve been thinking a lot about friendships since I wrote that last blog. You see, good friends set the bar for how we should treat one another and what defines a healthy relationship.

Good friends don’t tear you down; they lift you up. They are not a burden. Even through the toughest of times, it is a labor of love.

A good friendship doesn’t make one person a door mat or another person a savior. Instead, they foster strength and stability for both parties involved.

After hanging out with a good friend, you aren’t emotionally drained and tired. If anything, you feel energized, like you can take on the world.

These are just thoughts. I know for myself with my true friends, I don’t feel tense or ill at ease. I soak up every second of our time together and look forward to seeing them again. And oh yes, there is laughter – I mean the real stuff that throws your head back and comes deep from the belly and the heart.

Recognizing true friends in your life can bring to light the ones that aren’t so true. I hope you take some time to evaluate your friendships today. Embrace the ones that are life-affirming. Life’s too short for anything less.