Good Friends vs. Best Friends

I posed this question on Twitter and Facebook and got a fair amount of responses. The Question was, "what makes a good friend a best friend";

 From Facebook

Katie Parker Someone who knows you inside and out and will be there for you no matter the time of day or nite. And you can also count on that best friend to not judge you, and not spread around your business, good bad or ugly.

Nicole Dill I believe a best friend is another form of a soul mate. They accept you for all of you and don't bail when shit hits the fan. They accept your crazy moments and and don't judge you for them. They are there through the good and the bad. When you are with them, you don't have to hold back, you can just be you with no reservations! They are family...

Markus Hunt The willingness to help hide a body.

Nicole Dill hahaha!! that's funny! I heard once that a good friend will post bail, a best friend will be right there with you in jail!

Tabitha Grace Smith The person who knows the worst about you, but loves you anyways.

John Keating Being 7? 

Russell H Clarke You

From Twitter:

elfhybrid responded with @Geekyfanboy Honesty. Loyalty. Time.

TheRobZone responded with @Geekyfanboy You just know?

SierraHouk  responded with @Geekyfanboy time and being able to comfortably share silence.

Jamie1km  responded with @Geekyfanboy There's a terminology question right there. I always had ONE best friend, but my daughter uses it like a category.

Jamie's' response lead to a follow up question "can you have more then one best friend".  

From Facebook:

Nicole Dill Most definitely...

Harry Dauz Yes, certainly can!

Rachelle Smith Trial I have 3. Anne Lamsa, Blake & my English friend Madeleine. All 3 of these relationships are very special to me in different ways.  For me a best friend is someone who has become family. We may fight, disagree or bicker sometimes but I will love them forever. I can tell them anything & vise versa. We will always be there for each other even if we don't speak or see one another everyday.

Simon Meddings Yup I have a good 6 or 7 best friends (different sex as well) 

elfhybrid responded with @Geekyfanboy two at the most I think. 

loopinthe1st responded with @Geekyfanboy Yes.

alexinmadison responded with @Geekyfanboy Heck yeah!

vincecaso  responded with @Geekyfanboy If we use the ordinary definition of "best", then I'd say no, but some people use it as a category, outside of its definition

Jamie1km responded with @vincecaso @Geekyfanboy I always feel the category version has a hidden parenthetical: best (kind of) friend. Because BEST is exclusive.

My response to the questions.. What makes a good friend a best friend, I can't really answer this one as I think there are two kinds of "best friends" there are those that you instantly connect with, a bond that you can't really explain, you just feel it in your gut and your heart. Then there are those friends that you meet, and enjoy their company and over time you form a close bond with and you couldn't imagine your life without them in it.

As for the second question... Can you have more then one best friend, I've always claimed to have more then one best friend. But Jamie brought up a good point. Have I turned the term "best friend" into a category, so people I know fall into one of four categories, acquaintances, friend, good friend and best friend. Or can you truly have more then one "best" friend. I think you can have more then one best friend and not make it a category. In the past I have said to have six best friends, as time goes on I realized I jumped the gun on several of those friendships. I mean they are great friends but best is set aside for the few who go above and beyond in our friendship. 

To me Best friends are those who will be there for you in good times and bad. They don't judge, they make you feel just as important as you make them feel. They are present in your daily life, it's a 50/50 relationship. You can sit in a room with them for an hour and not say a word to each other and be perfectly content..that is what Best Friend is. Thankfully I have a few of those :)