Counselor

Good friends are kind of an old fashioned word for counselor.

A really good friend will always tell the truth, even if he does soften it a bit and include lots of hugs or encouragement when that truth is painful.

At the very least she gives me a place to unburden myself and air my frustrations or fears in a safe environment.

At his best he knows me better than anyone else and can see things I might not want to see, or have simply glossed over.

But, I have to say that a good friend cannot really be my spouse, or sibling, or parent, because there needs to be more separation between us than that.  We cannot live together, or depend on each other for our livelihood.

We must simply be that rare thing called best friends, people whose souls have attached at the root, but who always keep a little space for God between them.