Just like any human relationship we have, having good friends also plays a significant role in having a happy and more fulfilling life. This is despite the fact that most of the people with whom we become friends with, started as some random strangers at first and became close together through time. As friendship is a relationship that is not bound by law or blood ties, the friends we make can come and part ways anytime without any notice, which is why we sometimes ask ourselves if we really do need friends in life.
My short answer is "no". There are other things that can make people have a happy life, such as hobbies and other goals. Also, friendship is just another type of relationship. As long as they have other relationships, whether it was romantic or familial, they can still have a fulfilling and happy life. And that goes the same both ways, that's why we can see people that doesn't have a family or a spouse, but have a lot of friends and are still able to become happy. There are also some who, rather than having people around, find it more than enough to have pets as their companions and treat them as friends or even family.
Without friends, there are sure to be situations where we will feel isolated, like when we go to eat alone at a restaurant and see that every table around us has a group of people sharing a meal, but that does not necessarily mean that we feel lonely, because the reason we go to the restaurant is mainly to eat and replenish our energy. Some people may even prefer it that way, because with a group, they will need a bigger space and may even need to wait for other customers to leave before they can dine in the restaurant.
That said, there are also situations in which not having friends around will prove to be an issue, like if you were a person whose hobby was group sports. Most of the time, the people who play group sports are friends who find the same passion for the sports and build their relationship around it. Sure, the possibility of playing group sports with strangers is not entirely zero, but things such as teamwork can only be possible if you know your teammates to a certain extent, and it is more effective when with friends.
Also, there will be times when we are not at our best, whether it is physically, emotionally, or financially, and while we may have our family during those times, it would not hurt to have other people who can support us when we are at our weakest.
So when it comes to friends, having them was not strictly a necessity to find happiness in life, but it also does not hurt to have them. At the end, it was still a person's choice whether they wanted to have friends or not, and they are the only ones who can determine if their choice leads to a happy and fulfilling life.
Thank you for reading my post, and see you in the next one!
You're right
Especially that part where there may be sometimes when not having a friend may be an issue
It's true
there are situations in which people cannot rely only on themselves.
Yeah right