A close (0) FRIENDSHIP (FRIEND) is one of life's great pleasures, but keeping in touch has never been quite so easy — or quite so strange — as it is today. Instant 1COMMUNICATE means that a friend on the other side of the world can be reached as quickly as one down the street. Most people agree that spending time together in person still has a special 2IMPORTANT that no amount of messaging can fully replace. A 3TRUE good friend is someone you can call at a difficult moment, confident that you will be met with a 4SUPPORT response. Real friends share each other's 5HAPPY and sadness, and know when to speak and when simply to listen. Most friendships grow out of small 6SIMILAR — shared tastes, experiences or sense of humour — but lasting ones often also depend on interesting 7DIFFER that keep the relationship surprising. The 8STRONG of an old friendship usually rests on years of small kindnesses more than on any single dramatic event.