The term “best friend” is a label given for the person you consider the friend you can count on for anything, someone you absolutely love being with, no matter what you do together. “Best friend” is usually for girls – males might have a best friend who is male, but it’s too touchy-feely to actually say that. Married men, though, will often refer to their wives as their best friend.

During school days, girls would often compete for best friendship, especially in a three’s-a-crowd scenario. (Why is sheeee your best friend and not meeeee?) And best friends would also flip-flop – one month Janie’s your best friend, and the next month it’s Dierdre.  Either way, whoever was the chosen duo of the moment would pass notes with the requisite “BFF” (Best Friends Forever), signed and hearted on the outer fold, their connection sealed with the abbreviation’s declaration.

As we got older, the term best friend took on a deeper meaning.  At the core of best friendship is loyalty and reliability. A best friend is someone you know you can trust to support you in good times and bad, she’s one of the first people you’ll think of when announcing a happy occasion, as well as with the need to load off your venting or darkest secrets. A true best friendship is a gem, and a rarity at that. Yet some of us have had best friends for decades. Once it goes on long, it can go on forever – it’s a mainstay of one’s life, not related to changes in beliefs, lifestyle, or interests – just a  true, lifelong friend.

National Best Friend Day doesn’t stand alone as a day to mark friendship. Other similar holidays include National Friendship Day, held on the first Sunday in August; Women’s Friendship Day, on the third Sunday in August; Old Friends, New Friends Week the third week of May, and International Friendship Month during February.

Interestingly, none of these friendship days/week/month is well-known. Popular or not, friendships days are a super opportunity to take stock of who your friends are, whether best friends or just good friends. And it’s always possible to forge a new best friend. Rockaway Care Center thrives in large part due to the friendships forged. Be keen to share yourself with others, and listen to others’ tales. The friendships which ensue your stay at Rockaway Care Center is all the more enjoyable.