When we make mistakes, family support
According to two researchers, Liz Spencer and Ray Pahl, friendship can be divided into eight categories: associates, useful contacts, favour friends, fun friends, help mates, comforters, confidants and soul mates. First, associates are people who only share common interests, such as hobby and sports. You cannot trust them enough to tell them everything about yourself. Second, useful contacts are people who share information with you and advice you. They only put an effort to extend social network. Third, fun friends only socialize with you to have a good fun; they do not provide you with a deeper level of emotional support. Fourth, favour friends are anyone who help you out in functional manners but not emotional manners. Fifth, help mates are a combination of favour and fun friends; they socialise together and encourage one another in functional manners. Sixth, comforters are similar to help mates but they give each other emotional support. Seventh, the confidants disclose personal information to each other. Last, soul mates display everything and they are the best kind of friendship you can share both happiness and sadness with. For me, this is the kind of friendship I am looking for.