To call yourself friend, you need to be one.

There is a difference between “wanting to be friends” with someone and actually getting to know someone. If someone expressed they want to be friends, have they done anything to pursue it and be a friend to that person, like asking questions out of curiosity to get to know them, understand them; spending time with them, caring, truly finding out what friendship looks like? 

If a person claims they have “tried”, but never put in actual effort to spend time with them and get to know them, then they never tried. You can’t only put it out there and say you want it; You have to show it and pursue it if you really do. 

How do you show you want to be friends with someone? 

Words that are not followed by action don’t mean much.

Sometimes what a person means by saying they “want to be friends” is actually that they want to be associate with you, on good terms with you, the benefits without the work, the title without the work or investment, the word without the heart. 

You don’t get to call yourself my friend without actually being a friend to me.

And if you want to be my friend, you need to act like a friend.