Deep Friendship

Book excerpt: The value of a true friend seems a unanimous declaration: a friend is “someone who knows all about you and still loves you” (Elbert Hubbard) and “the most precious of all possessions” (La Rochefoucauld); friendship is “a single soul dwelling in two bodies” (Aristotle), “the only cement that will ever hold the world together” (Woodrow Wilson). And yet, the statement that gets at the heart of Ugarte’s book Deep Friendship belongs to Plutarch, who says: “A constant friend is a thing rare and hard to find.” This is especially true in today’s world, in which we are constantly surrounded by people, but seldom experience deep friendship. The concept and value of friendship has become, more than ever, a rare treasure. What seems a simple task—that of finding a true friend who cares, respects, and deeply appreciates you—can be harder than expected. In his book, Ugarte shares not only how to find a good friend, but how to be one. These attributes of true friendship lead to great benefits, including a more genuine happiness and a greater union with God.