Recently I've found myself in a position where was thinking a lot about what constitutes friendship. Friends are very important to me; those I consider good friends are very dear to me.

One of the really interesting things about the Internet is its ability to bring people closer. Not physically, of course, but in terms of communication. How many counselors have told their patients that communication is the key to a healthy relationship? Certainly a strong friendship can be considered a relationship, and communication is the key to building and keeping such closeness.

Recently I have been able to reacquaint myself with a friend I had lost touch with (hello, Carol) via the Internet. We've been able to talk at length without the worry of a phone bill; it's been an interesting experience. I've known her since I was 15 years old but had lost touch with her recently. But, like most good friends, it was easy to catch up and it soon seemed like no time had passed at all.

But what makes a friend? When you look around at the people you care about, what is it about them that makes you care? Currently in my life there is a person that I think would make a good friend, even though there have been a few incidents that have shown that may not be the case. Those who know of the situation have told me I'm probably nuts, and that I'm only setting myself up to be run over later on.

So, what is it that I see that they can't? Why do I think this person could make a good friend? Maybe it's because I think friends need to be both teachers and students. There are things this person needs to learn from me; there are things I need to learn from them. Or maybe it's because a friend is someone you can lean on those rare times when you need strength from somewhere else, even if only for a moment. And I can see a need for that in both directions. Perhaps I can see beyond what is & into what can be.

But mostly I feel it's because I believe that a true friend is one that knows my heart. I have confided things to my wife, or my best friend, or to my brother (who I happen to be fortunate enough to be friends with, as well as family), only to have them explain to me what I was really feeling. It's rare, but it happens.

So I am tempted to risk being wrong. I've always said the things that I regret the most are the things I didn't do, as opposed to what I've done. The worst that can happen is that I discover that my thoughts are wrong; that this person cannot be trusted, or has no interest in being friends. In which case I've lost nothing.

But the possibility of having another person I can call "friend": that is worthy of a great risk, don’t you agree?