--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Friendship I've discovered a way to stay…" description: "\"Friendship I've discovered a way to stay friends forever -- There's really nothing to it. I simply tell you what to do And you do it!\" — Shel Silverstein" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/756/shel-silverstein-1914_friends-forever_friendship-i-ve-discovered-a-way-to-stay_1199989.jpg" --- # Friendship I've discovered a way to stay friends forever… ![“Friendship I've discovered a way to stay friends forever -- There's really nothing to it. I simply tell you what to do And you do it!” quote by Shel Silverstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/756/shel-silverstein-1914_friends-forever_friendship-i-ve-discovered-a-way-to-stay_1199989.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/756/shel-silverstein-1914_friends-forever_friendship-i-ve-discovered-a-way-to-stay_1199989.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/756/shel-silverstein-1914_friends-forever_friendship-i-ve-discovered-a-way-to-stay_1199989.jpg) > “Friendship I've discovered a way to stay friends forever -- There's really nothing to it. I simply tell you what to do And you do it!” [Shel Silverstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shel-silverstein/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Friendship can be maintained by clear, simple communication and mutual cooperation. **In simple terms:** Friendship works when you tell each other what to do and follow it. Key Takeaway Practice honest, direct communication. Themes communication cooperation friendship Mood lighthearted playful Type advice humorous When to use this quote - team projects - family chores - long‑distance friendships - conflict resolution Key Concepts mutual respect simplicity trust Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance giving directions with respecting independence? - What happens when both parties expect the other to always comply? A Different Perspective May overlook individual needs and autonomy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friend/) [Friends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friends/) [Friends forever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friends-forever/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Friendship Ve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship-ve-955764/) [Stay friends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stay-friends/) ## Related quotes > [“I've discovered a way to stay friends forever - There's really nothing to it. I simply tell you what to do And you do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shel-silverstein/i-ve-discovered-a-way-to-stay-friends-forever-there-s-really-nothing/) [Shel Silverstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shel-silverstein/) > [I know a way to stay friends forever, There's really nothing to it, I tell you what to do, And you do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shel-silverstein/i-know-a-way-to-stay-friends-forever-there-s-really-nothing-to-it-i/) [Shel Silverstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shel-silverstein/) > [Friends who buy friends starbucks stay friends forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/friends-who-buy-friends-starbucks-stay-friends-forever/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Friendship is not about whom you've known the longest but its about who came nd never left your side.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/friendship-is-not-about-whom-you-ve-known-the-longest-but-its-about/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [I like you. But I have no idea how you feel about me. And if we became lovers how different would our friendship be?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-like-you-but-i-have-no-idea-how-you-feel-about-me-and-if-we-became/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Friendship is.. when u've had a huge fight but then decide to put aside ur egos,give a warm smile to each other & say.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babloo/friendship-is-when-u-ve-had-a-huge-fight-but-then-decide-to-put-aside/) [Babloo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babloo/) > [I knew I wanted to write about female friendship. I've got a few friends I've known since we were teenagers, who have spanned the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-jones/i-knew-i-wanted-to-write-about-female-friendship-i-ve-got-a-few/) [Ruth Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-jones/) > [I wish to express how much I love you, but I dont want to wreck d friendship we've built for years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/usman-ismaheel/i-wish-to-express-how-much-i-love-you-but-i-dont-want-to-wreck-d/) [Usman Ismaheel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/usman-ismaheel/) > [ Thank \[Barack Obama\] for the friendship you've always demonstrated. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-merkel/thank-barack-obama-for-the-friendship-you-ve-always-demonstrated/) [Angela Merkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-merkel/) > [Friendship Is Not About Who You've Known The Longest!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/friendship-is-not-about-who-you-ve-known-the-longest/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Friendship is not about who you've known for the longest...It's about who walked into your life and said I am here for you and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/friendship-is-not-about-who-you-ve-known-for-the-longest-it-s-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There are just some friends that you can go without seeing or hearing from for a long period of time and still pick back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-bognar/there-are-just-some-friends-that-you-can-go-without-seeing-or-hearing/) [Jenna Bognar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-bognar/) > [What If Following Her Heart Means Rose Could Lose Her Best Friend Forever?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/what-if-following-her-heart-means-rose-could-lose-her-best-friend/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [The right to be angry friends and they dun celebrate friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/the-right-to-be-angry-friends-and-they-dun-celebrate-friendship/) [Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/) > [I hope we'll be friends forever, together we'll always be. I don't think you understand just how much you mean to me. And one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bridget-davis/i-hope-we-ll-be-friends-forever-together-we-ll-always-be-i-don-t/) [Bridget Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bridget-davis/) ## More by Shel Silverstein > [“I cannot go to school today" Said little Peggy Ann McKay. "I have the measles and the mumps, A gash, a rash and purple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shel-silverstein/i-cannot-go-to-school-today-said-little-peggy-ann-mckay-i-have-the/) [Shel Silverstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shel-silverstein/) > [Oh, I'm being eaten By a boa constrictor, A boa constrictor, A boa constrictor, I'm being eaten by a boa constrictor, And I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shel-silverstein/oh-i-m-being-eaten-by-a-boa-constrictor-a-boa-constrictor-a-boa/) [Shel Silverstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shel-silverstein/) > [“Many leaves one tree”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shel-silverstein/many-leaves-one-tree/) [Shel Silverstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shel-silverstein/) > [Magic Sandra’s seen a leprechaun, Eddie touched a troll, Laurie danced with witches once, Charlie found some goblins gold. Donald heard a mermaid sing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shel-silverstein/magic-sandra-s-seen-a-leprechaun-eddie-touched-a-troll-laurie-danced/) [Shel Silverstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shel-silverstein/) > [He has the obligation to society that any human being has. I don't think a satirist has any greater obligation to society than a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shel-silverstein/he-has-the-obligation-to-society-that-any-human-being-has-i-don-t/) [Shel Silverstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shel-silverstein/) > [“Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout Would not take the garbage out! She'd scour the pots and scrape the pans, Candy the yams and spice the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shel-silverstein/sarah-cynthia-sylvia-stout-would-not-take-the-garbage-out-she-d-scour/) [Shel Silverstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shel-silverstein/) > [To me, freedom entitles you to do something, not to not do something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shel-silverstein/to-me-freedom-entitles-you-to-do-something-not-to-not-do-something/) [Shel Silverstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shel-silverstein/) > [“Ol' man Simon, planted a diamond. Grew hisself a garden the likes of none. Sprouts all growin' comin' up glowin' Fruit of jewels all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shel-silverstein/ol-man-simon-planted-a-diamond-grew-hisself-a-garden-the-likes-of/) [Shel Silverstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shel-silverstein/) > [“Ma and God God gave us fingers--Ma says, "Use your fork." God gave us voices--Ma says, "Don't scream." Ma says eat broccoli, cereal and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shel-silverstein/ma-and-god-god-gave-us-fingers-ma-says-use-your-fork-god-gave-us/) [Shel Silverstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shel-silverstein/) > [Ourchestra: So you haven't got a drum, just beat your belly. So I haven't got a horn-I'll play my nose. So we haven't any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shel-silverstein/ourchestra-so-you-haven-t-got-a-drum-just-beat-your-belly-so-i-haven/) [Shel Silverstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shel-silverstein/) > [“Ickle me, pickle me, tickle me too never returned to the world they knew and nobody knows what happened to dear ickle me, pickle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shel-silverstein/ickle-me-pickle-me-tickle-me-too-never-returned-to-the-world-they/) [Shel Silverstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shel-silverstein/) > [I would hope that people, no matter what age, would find something to identify with in my books, pick one up and experience a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shel-silverstein/i-would-hope-that-people-no-matter-what-age-would-find-something-to/) [Shel Silverstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shel-silverstein/) > [What you've got to say, you say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shel-silverstein/what-you-ve-got-to-say-you-say/) [Shel Silverstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shel-silverstein/) > [G'bye, I'm going out to play!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shel-silverstein/g-bye-i-m-going-out-to-play/) [Shel Silverstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shel-silverstein/) > [A spider lives inside my head Who weaves a strange and wondrous web Of silken threads and silver strings To catch all sorts of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shel-silverstein/a-spider-lives-inside-my-head-who-weaves-a-strange-and-wondrous-web/) [Shel Silverstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shel-silverstein/) [Explore all 198 Shel Silverstein quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shel-silverstein/) ## More Friend quotes > [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) > [I gave my archive to Emory University because there's a really dear friend who teaches there, Rudolph Byrd, and he's the editor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/i-gave-my-archive-to-emory-university-because-there-s-a-really-dear/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [Friends are like stars you can't always see them, but you know they're there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unknwon/friends-are-like-stars-you-can-t-always-see-them-but-you-know-they-re/) [Unknwon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/unknwon/) > [“But my best friend from college was silent for a long time. She, of all of my friends, had seen the parade of sad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-groff/but-my-best-friend-from-college-was-silent-for-a-long-time-she-of-all/) [Lauren Groff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-groff/) > [“way. A true friend isn't the one that agrees with everything you say or do. A true friend is someone that has your back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shameek-speight/way-a-true-friend-isn-t-the-one-that-agrees-with-everything-you-say/) [Shameek Speight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shameek-speight/) > [No one is completely unhappy at the failure of his best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/no-one-is-completely-unhappy-at-the-failure-of-his-best-friend/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [“The real purpose of friendship was to discover and exploit weakness in others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-thompson/the-real-purpose-of-friendship-was-to-discover-and-exploit-weakness/) [Brian Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-thompson/) > [That FRIEND who claim they do anything for you. but yet talk behind your back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kushsoulja/that-friend-who-claim-they-do-anything-for-you-but-yet-talk-behind/) [KushSoulja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kushsoulja/) > [In life, we never lose friends we only get to know who the true ones are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ace-kid/in-life-we-never-lose-friends-we-only-get-to-know-who-the-true-ones/) [Ace Kid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ace-kid/) > [“Before you were my enemy, you were my best friend.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/before-you-were-my-enemy-you-were-my-best-friend/) [Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/) > [Sam dropped me off. When she was too far away to see me, I started to cry again. Because she was my friend again.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/sam-dropped-me-off-when-she-was-too-far-away-to-see-me-i-started-to/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [“When you get lost in a really strange place, nothing is more comforting than found your friend whom you trust and can show the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/when-you-get-lost-in-a-really-strange-place-nothing-is-more/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [Friendship, "the wine of life," should, like a well-stocked cellar, be continually renewed; and it is consolatory to think, that although we can seldom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-boswell/friendship-the-wine-of-life-should-like-a-well-stocked-cellar-be/) [James Boswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-boswell/) > [I fell in love with my best friend, but I know that if it doesn't last, it will never be the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelly-yang/i-fell-in-love-with-my-best-friend-but-i-know-that-if-it-doesn-t-last/) [Shelly Yang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelly-yang/) > [A best friend isn't someone who's just always there for you.Its someone who understands you a bit more than you understand yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/a-best-friend-isn-t-someone-who-s-just-always-there-for-you-its/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) [Browse all 14,984 Friend quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friend/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Friendship I've discovered a way to stay friends forever -- There's really nothing to it. 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