--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The finest friendships are between those…" description: "\"The finest friendships are between those who can do without each other.\" — Elbert Hubbard" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/420/elbert-hubbard-510_can-do_the-finest-friendships-are-between-those_99415.png" --- # The finest friendships are between those who can do… ![“The finest friendships are between those who can do without each other.” quote by Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/420/elbert-hubbard-510_can-do_the-finest-friendships-are-between-those_99415.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/420/elbert-hubbard-510_can-do_the-finest-friendships-are-between-those_99415.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/420/elbert-hubbard-510_can-do_the-finest-friendships-are-between-those_99415.png) > “The finest friendships are between those who can do without each other.” [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True friendship can thrive without dependence, valuing autonomy as much as companionship. **In simple terms:** Friends can be close yet independent. Key Takeaway Friendship need not be code. Themes relationships independence mutual respect Mood thoughtful reflective Type philosophical maxim When to use this quote - roommates who respect each other's space - colleagues collaborating without micromanagement - long‑distance friendships Key Concepts autonomy interdependence Practical Applications - Cultivate boundaries that honor personal freedom - Encourage self‑sufficiency in relationships Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance closeness with independence? - When might dependence be beneficial? A Different Perspective Too much distance can erode emotional intimacy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friend/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Friendships](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendships/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Real friends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-friends/) ## Related quotes > [Real friendships among men are so rare that when they occur they are famous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-day/real-friendships-among-men-are-so-rare-that-when-they-occur-they-are/) [Clarence Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-day/) > [I'm someone who loves to enjoy life and tries to focus on real things and real friendships. That's why I live very simply.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-diaz/i-m-someone-who-loves-to-enjoy-life-and-tries-to-focus-on-real-things/) [Cameron Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-diaz/) > [If you want others to like you, if you want to develop real friendships, if you want to help others at the same time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/if-you-want-others-to-like-you-if-you-want-to-develop-real/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) > [I spent a good portion of my life being unable to honor my feelings. When I started the process of having real friendships it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-st-john/i-spent-a-good-portion-of-my-life-being-unable-to-honor-my-feelings/) [Bonnie St. John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-st-john/) > [People will come in and out of your life, but cherish those precious moments with your real friends that will stick by your side…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-will-come-in-and-out-of-your-life-but-cherish-those-precious/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Much certainly of the happiness and purity of our lives depends on our making a wise choice of our companions and friends. If our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-lubbock-4th-baron-avebury/much-certainly-of-the-happiness-and-purity-of-our-lives-depends-on/) Eric Lubbock, 4th Baron Avebury > [Not real friends at all](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/not-real-friends-at-all/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Friendship needs no words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dag-hammarskj-ld/friendship-needs-no-words/) [Dag Hammarskjold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dag-hammarskj-ld/) > [Real friends r hard to find. Fake friends are all behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alee-n-riyah/real-friends-r-hard-to-find-fake-friends-are-all-behind/) Alee N Riyah > [For me one of the most important things is not feeling like you have to protect yourself if you're with a real friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-stead/for-me-one-of-the-most-important-things-is-not-feeling-like-you-have/) [Rebecca Stead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-stead/) > [Friendship embraces innumerable ends; turn where you will it is ever at your side; no barrier shuts it out; it is never untimely and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/friendship-embraces-innumerable-ends-turn-where-you-will-it-is-ever/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Real Friends' are someone who are right next to you when you got in emergency, not in only parties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hiroko-sakai/real-friends-are-someone-who-are-right-next-to-you-when-you-got-in/) [Hiroko Sakai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hiroko-sakai/) > [The best preservative to keep the mind in health is the faithful admonition of a friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/the-best-preservative-to-keep-the-mind-in-health-is-the-faithful/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [“Real friends will help you when you fall. Best friends will jump on top of you shouting "DOG PILE!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-fordu/real-friends-will-help-you-when-you-fall-best-friends-will-jump-on/) Lily Fordu > [A real friend ... exults in his friend’s happiness, rejoices in all his joys, and is ready to afford him the best advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herodotus/a-real-friend-exults-in-his-friend-s-happiness-rejoices-in-all-his/) [Herodotus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herodotus/) ## More by Elbert Hubbard > [The teacher is one who makes two ideas grow where only one grew before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/the-teacher-is-one-who-makes-two-ideas-grow-where-only-one-grew-before/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [The highest reward that God gives us for good work is the ability to do better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/the-highest-reward-that-god-gives-us-for-good-work-is-the-ability-to/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [Art is nothing; it's a way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/art-is-nothing-it-s-a-way/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [Library: A place where the dead lie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/library-a-place-where-the-dead-lie/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [“If we cannot be happy and powerful and prey on others, we invent conscience and prey on ourselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/if-we-cannot-be-happy-and-powerful-and-prey-on-others-we-invent/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [The poor and ignorant will continue to lie and steal as long as the rich and educated show them how.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/the-poor-and-ignorant-will-continue-to-lie-and-steal-as-long-as-the/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [So long as governments set the example of killing their enemies, private individuals will occasionally kill theirs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/so-long-as-governments-set-the-example-of-killing-their-enemies/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [If I supply you with a thought, you may remember it and you may not. But if I can make you think a thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/if-i-supply-you-with-a-thought-you-may-remember-it-and-you-may-not/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 A conservative is a man who is too cowardly to fight and too fat to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/1-2-3-4-5-a-conservative-is-a-man-who-is-too-cowardly-to-fight-and/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [The great man is not so great as folks think, and the dull man is not quite so stupid as he seems. The difference…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/the-great-man-is-not-so-great-as-folks-think-and-the-dull-man-is-not/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [Every knock is a boost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/every-knock-is-a-boost/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [What boy well raised can compare with your street gamin who has the knowledge and the shrewdness of a grown-up broker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/what-boy-well-raised-can-compare-with-your-street-gamin-who-has-the/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [Don't make excuses, make good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/don-t-make-excuses-make-good/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [What people need and what they want may be very different… Teachers are those who educate the people to appreciate the things they need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/what-people-need-and-what-they-want-may-be-very-different-teachers/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [Men who sit back and pride themselves on their culture haven't any to speak of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/men-who-sit-back-and-pride-themselves-on-their-culture-haven-t-any-to/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) [Explore all 506 Elbert Hubbard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) ## More Can do quotes > [Changes before your eyes, things you can do and things you can't. My attitude is always let it keep rolling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrence-malick/changes-before-your-eyes-things-you-can-do-and-things-you-can-t-my/) [Terrence Malick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrence-malick/) > [The happy medium is television. And if you find a good suitor, you can do it for years. With movies, you roll the dice.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-campbell/the-happy-medium-is-television-and-if-you-find-a-good-suitor-you-can/) [Bruce Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-campbell/) > [If I had a million dollars, I just wouldn't just completely set back. I'd have to get out there and show my face to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muddy-waters/if-i-had-a-million-dollars-i-just-wouldn-t-just-completely-set-back-i/) [Muddy Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muddy-waters/) > [Anybody can be Prince Charming one day a year, with the dinner and the flowers and all that. But you know what impresses me?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-howard/anybody-can-be-prince-charming-one-day-a-year-with-the-dinner-and-the/) [Ryan Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-howard/) > [And if the mind thinks with a believing attitude one can do amazing things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/and-if-the-mind-thinks-with-a-believing-attitude-one-can-do-amazing/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [The amount of things you can do with a kettlebell is unsurpassed by any other training equipment - dumbbells, resistance machines, free weights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laird-hamilton/the-amount-of-things-you-can-do-with-a-kettlebell-is-unsurpassed-by/) [Laird Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laird-hamilton/) > [It's nice when you've done enough movies that you can do your own anthology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lithgow/it-s-nice-when-you-ve-done-enough-movies-that-you-can-do-your-own/) [John Lithgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lithgow/) > [If people don't have their own vision, all they can do is 'sign-up' for someone else's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-senge/if-people-don-t-have-their-own-vision-all-they-can-do-is-sign-up-for/) [Peter Senge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-senge/) > [The one thing that flies in the face of all human history and experience, is that the government can do a superior job than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cook/the-one-thing-that-flies-in-the-face-of-all-human-history-and/) [James Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cook/) > [...what I can do is offer myself, wholehearted and present, to walk with the people I love through the fear and the mess. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/what-i-can-do-is-offer-myself-wholehearted-and-present-to-walk-with/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [Whether that's speaking up in your job or asking for a promotion or saying, 'I think I can do that.' Using your voice in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-shriver/whether-that-s-speaking-up-in-your-job-or-asking-for-a-promotion-or/) [Maria Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-shriver/) > [The average ordinary citizen can do a lot of different things when it comes to the climate crisis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-bender/the-average-ordinary-citizen-can-do-a-lot-of-different-things-when-it/) [Lawrence Bender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-bender/) > [A professional is a man who can do his job when he doesn't feel like it. An amateur is a man who can't do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-agate/a-professional-is-a-man-who-can-do-his-job-when-he-doesn-t-feel-like/) [James Agate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-agate/) > [The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, as it pleases him, for he can do all things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/the-lord-gives-and-the-lord-takes-away-as-it-pleases-him-for-he-can/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [I'm not an educated man. I only know what I'm told, and I'm not told that much; I have no frame of reference for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/i-m-not-an-educated-man-i-only-know-what-i-m-told-and-i-m-not-told/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) Browse all 5,673 Can do quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The finest friendships are between those who can do without each other.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Elbert Hubbard" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/the-finest-friendships-are-between-those-who-can-do-without-each-other/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Can do" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/the-finest-friendships-are-between-those-who-can-do-without-each-other/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/420/elbert-hubbard-510_can-do_the-finest-friendships-are-between-those_99415.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/420/elbert-hubbard-510_can-do_the-finest-friendships-are-between-those_99415.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/420/elbert-hubbard-510_can-do_the-finest-friendships-are-between-those_99415.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The finest friendships are between those who can do without each other.” — Elbert Hubbard", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Elbert Hubbard", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The finest friendships are between those...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/the-finest-friendships-are-between-those-who-can-do-without-each-other/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/the-finest-friendships-are-between-those-who-can-do-without-each-other/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```