The Study of Friendship

The audition has come. You are certain you have brought your best work to display before the people you wish to impress. Your chance to show who you are didn't last terribly long but you hope they have a good sense of who you are in order to decide whether or not they will bring you back.
THE PROBLEM:
What is this audition for?  The hopes of  winning a part in a play, being cast in the new dance company, playing in an orchestra or joining a sports team?  None of the above. It is to see if someone will be your friend.
THE LIE:
It seems that friends are chosen for how funny they are, whether or not they will gossip or "go off" on people you don't like, if they act crazy or will do daring things. I don't get it. The funny, crazy silliness seems to be what is the most important. Recently, someone explained this is why the shy kids drink; so people will see them as funny or crazy.
THE TRUTH:
 A real friend does not talk bad of you and certainly not with others. If she hears others talking poorly of you she would not allow it. A real friend does not speak bad of their own family members. A real friend cares about your virtues of love, kindness, courage, charity or forgiveness. A true friend doesn't tell you that others don't like you, but instead protects you from those that don't like you because of their own jealousies and insecurities. A real friend doesn't make you into a service project just to make themselves feel better when they have failed you or  when they feel guilty for being two-faced.
THE EXAMPLE:
My truest friend, Amy, would talk to me for hours about out dreams and about spiritual things. She laughed at all my jokes and I helped keep her company when the demands of her home were heavy. She was 14 and I was 13.  Some of the times I have laughed the hardest have been with her. We had a real friendship based on a good foundation. We snuck out windows at night together and met friends while we walked the deserted streets of uptown. We traded clothes and made up crazy songs. We rode bikes together and invented new food concoctions. We wrote letters to boys that we liked. We swapped what we were wearing to a stake dance mid way through.
THE ADVICE:
My advice to anyone that is looking for a real friend is to serve and be positive and cheerful and helpful... and smile.  Especially to those who are living the lie.
THE OUTCOME:
Just watch those that follow my advice become strong in meaningful ways.