Some advice survives because it sounds grand and dramatic. Other advice survives because people keep running into it in real life. This quote associated with George Washington feels closer to the second kind. It does not try to impress anyone with complicated language. It simply says something that many people eventually discover for themselves, sometimes after a few mistakes, sometimes after years of experience.
When people are young, friendships often feel simple. Conversations begin quickly. Trust appears naturally. Someone shares the same interests, sits beside you in school, laughs at the same jokes, and suddenly friendship forms almost without effort. Life at that stage can feel refreshingly uncomplicated.
