Are friends an important part of life?

i think it depends on the individual. i've never had a lot of friends, and i've never felt that something was missing. but my husband, on the other hand - if you took his friends away he wouldn't know what to do. some people are loners or more independent, and others like having a big social network and tons of people around.

that's a good question. i think if you make something a priority - exercise, for example - then you do it more often and it can become second nature to you. however, it takes two people to make a friendship, so even if you're always going out of your way to try and make new friends other people might not be as receptive. so i would say that the practice of trying to get to know people becomes easier for those who find it important, but ultimately it depends on whether the other person wants to be friends or not.