Two Women Who’ve Been Best Friends For 50 Years Prove Sometimes True Friendship Is Better Than Romantic Love
PeopleImages | ShutterstockWe often hear that romantic love is the most important kind of love. Finding your soulmate is the ultimate goal for many people. But sometimes the best love comes from our friends, as two lifelong best friends proved.
In a TikTok video, two besties, Diana and Candace, were interviewed on the street about their 50-year friendship, and the love they share proved that platonic love and connection are something everyone should strive for.
Two women who've been best friends for 50 years prove that sometimes true friendship is better than romantic love.
As Diana and Candace walked down the street in NYC, they were stopped to be interviewed about their friendship. The interviewer asked the two women if they would like to talk about how they first met. Jumping at the chance, Diana explained that they had met as college students back in 1977.
When asked about what Diana's favorite thing about Candace is, Diana responded, "Her heart. She's such a soft, sweet person." When Candace was asked the same question, she responded, "She's always there for me. You know? For all my treatments. I have cancer."
Candace became choked up and leaned into Diana for comfort. Taking over for her, Diana continued, "I’m there for her every step of the way. I sit there through the chemo and treatments. I go get the food. I’ve been through it with my mom, so I know how hard it was, and absolutely, I said, ‘You’re not going to go anywhere without me being with you.’ I just want her alive."
The two women talked about traditions they share.
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Despite her cancer diagnosis, Diana remained hopeful about their future together. She admitted that it wouldn't stop the two women from being able to live their lives together the way they have in the past.
"We’re still gonna do our stuff. And we go on vacation every year to Barbados for two weeks. We have good times. Now that she’s going through this treatment, she needs it more than ever," Diana added.
Talking more about their vacation together, the two women shared some of their favorite things to do while they are on their yearly trip, including watching turtles and monkeys. In the comments section, people gushed over Diana and Candace's friendship, calling them "true soulmates."
Friendship is often treated as less important than romantic or familial love, but the benefits prove otherwise.
Most people prioritize love as if there is some sort of hierarchy that deems one relationship more significant than another. A spouse or partner somehow trumps a friend. But the love of a friend is just as powerful and shouldn't be dismissed. Professor Robin Dunbar poignantly stated, "Friendship is the single most important thing affecting our psychological health and wellbeing, as well as our physical health and wellbeing."
The research of Saida Heshmati, a psychologist at Claremont Graduate University in the US, and her colleagues summarized that "regardless of where these little actions of love come from, or what relationship they come from, the quality of those interactions is very important – meaning that you can basically receive care when you're sick from a family member, but you can also receive it from a friend, and that still conveys love."
Sometimes the best, most loving person you know is someone that you've been friends with for years. It's the friend who sees you at your lowest and still loves you through that.
"My husband is still quite important to me, but relationships with my friends have become more and more important as I’ve gotten older. The older you get, the more complicated your life gets (at least it has for me), so it helps to have people around to talk to, to have fun with, and to share common experiences," explained psychology expert Vanessa LoBue.
There's nothing wrong with finding comfort and joy in romantic love, but it's important to nurture the love of your friends as well. Their comfort and care are just as powerful.
Nia Tipton is a staff writer with a bachelor’s degree in creative writing and journalism who covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on psychology, relationships, and the human experience.
