If you were asked to place a value on friendship, how would you begin the process? Would you rank your friends in some kind of order - most loyal, most supportive, most interesting? Would you give points for longevity and subtract points for each of the spats you've had over the years? Would your calculations reflect total worth, annual worth or an hourly value? And most importantly, would the average value of the friendship constitute a significant return on investment?

I can't imagine being the type of person who thinks of everything, including friendship, as a numbers game. I've met some of these people and I'm sure you have too. They are the ones who approach new relationships with a "what's in it for me" attitude. They don't have friends. They have "acquaintances" and "business associates". They never let anyone get closer than arm's distance.

I have to stop and think to myself, "how sad". My friends are the backbone of my life. They support me through the good times and the bad and I don't know what I would do without them. They know me inside and out - my hopes, my dreams, my flaws - and they like me anyway.

My friends are an eclectic collection of folks - some Democrats, some Republicans, some married, some single, some professionals, some ski bums - all of whom I consider to be wonderful. Unlike those over-analytical types who pretend that thinking with your head is always preferable to thinking with your heart, I want to know my world and the people who are in it.

When we were kids, friendships were easy. You just introduced yourself, invited your new pal to play, and that was that. Things change when you become an adult. Making friends is not that easy anymore. Why, I'm not sure. I think it may be that people are afraid to take chances. Friendships are not without risks. They require you to care about another person...a person who might let you down, because after all, they are just as human as you are.

Trust me, my friend, the benefits are well worth the risk.