What do you want most in a friend?
What is the most important quality in a friend? Is it intelligent, humorous, or reliable? As far as I am concerned, I think it is reliable. Among countless factors that influence the choice, these are three conspicuous aspects as follows.
To me, reliability is the most important quality of a friend. A friend is person whom we know, like, and trust. We may know and like a person who is intelligent, or who has a sense of humor, but we cannot call him a friend unless he is also faithful and trustworthy. Perhaps we all know the famous novel by Victor Hugo, Notre-Dame de Paris, and wish that we had a friend like Quasimodo. Although he is ugly, the man has a kind heart and a very loyal nature. He seems dedicated to anyone who will show him true kindness. Even if someone we know who does not have a sense of humor, or does not intelligent enough, he can still be our friend because he is the one who we can trust.
Another reason is that a friend must be a person whom we can depend on. He is willing to listen to us, give us supports, and lend a helping hand to us when we are in need. “A friend in need is a friend indeed.” A friend is a person whom we can trust our feelings and inner thoughts with, and do not fear that he will betray us. It is hard to imagine that anyone will share his thoughts with a person who afterwards will spread the content of their conversation to everyone else in the world.
Of course, intelligent and humorous are also important qualities of a friend. A friend who is mentally acute can give us sound judgment and rationality when we face problems; a friend who is funny can give us an enjoyable time, and add spice to our life. But for me, I still think that the most important quality of a friend is being reliable.
