There is a difference between being an acquaintance and being a friend.

First, an acquaintance is someone whose name you know, who you see every
now and then, who you probably have something in common with and who you
feel comfortable around. It's a person that you can invite to your home
and share things with. But they are people who you wouldn't share your
life with, whose actions sometimes you don't understand because you
don't know enough about them..

     On the other hand, a friend is someone you love. Not that you are
"in love" with them, but you care about them and you think about them
when they are not there. The people you are reminded of when you see
something they might like, and you know this because you know them so
well. They are the people whose pictures you have and whose faces are in
your head regardless. They are the people you see in your mind when you
hear a song on the radio because they made you go up to the person they
like and ask them to dance with them, or maybe YOU danced with them,
maybe they stepped on your toes, or just put their head on your
shoulder. They are the people you feel safe around because you know they
care about you. They call just to see how you are doing, because a
friend doesn't need an excuse. They tell you the truth, the first time,
and you do the same. You know that if you have a problem, they are there
to listen. They are the people who won't laugh at you or hurt you, and
if they do hurt you they try hard to make it up to you. They are the
people you love, regardless of whether you realize it. They are the
people you cried with when you got rejected from colleges and during the
last song at prom and at graduation. They are the people that when you
hug them, you don't think about how long to hug and who's going to be
the first one to let go. Maybe they are the people that hold the rings
at your wedding, or maybe they are the people that give you away at your
wedding, or maybe they are the people you marry. They are certainly the
people that cry at your wedding because they are happy or because they
are proud or because they are so in love. They are the people who stop
you from making mistakes and help you when you do. They are the people
whose hand you can hold, or you can hug or give them a kiss and not
have it be awkward because they understand the things you do and they
love you for them. They stick with you and stand by you. They hold your
hand.

They watch you live and you watch them live and you learn from them.
Your life is not the same without them. These are your friends.

~~I'm not sure who wrote this because I got it as a forward, but I 
     like it!~~