The little tree gets stronger .

    Everyone needs friends. There is an old saying, "Friends are God's way of taking care of us."

    But how do you find true friendship and keep it?

    The American writer Sally Searnans tells young students some good ways to find friends. Sally says finding friends is just like growing up a tree. You plant the seed and take care of it to make it grow well.

    First, you should choose a friend. What makes you become good friends? It is not because of a person who has money or good looks. A good friend should be kind and patient. For example, if you have a bad day, a good friend should listen to your complaints（抱怨）and do his or her best to help you. To make friends, you can not be too shy. You should make each other happy and share your lives. But things can't always be happy. Even the best friends have fights. What should you do when you have a fight with your friend? You have to talk to him or her. If he or she doesn't want to talk, you could write a letter.

    There are some ways to make you become friends again:

    ▲Tell him or her how you are feeling.

    ▲Say what your friend has done is wrong.

    ▲Explain why you have done this or that.

    At anytime we should remember that friendship is one of the most important things in your life.

    Everyone needs friends. Friends bring us happiness and hope. But the ability to make friends changes from person to person. To some people, making friends is easy, but to others it's very difficult.

    Making friends is a skill, and the first thing is to know how to get along with others.

    If you have trouble in making friends, maybe I can tell you how to do it.

    ★Realize your own good points. You have skills and talents that others will like.

    ★Believe that you are a good person and have something nice to share with others.

    ★Be humorous. Learn to laugh at yourself and your weakness. Remember to smile at others.

    ★Respect the others. Everyone has his own idea. Learn how to listen to others' ideas without trying to make them accept yours.

    ★Be kind. If you are kind to others, they will usually be kind to you. There are hundreds of little things you can do to show kindness. Open the door for someone, wave to a friend and so on.

    ★Don't complain. Learn to accept what you can't change, and work hard to change what you can. No one is willing to hear you complain all the time.

    ★Never give up. Even if you are faced with some closed-minded people, never give up. And try to find someone who will understand you.