If you have one true friend you have more than your share.

Thomas Fuller, the wise chronicler of the human spirit, once wrote: “If you have one true friend you have more than your share.” In this short but mighty saying, he touches the heart of a truth as ancient as humanity itself — that true friendship is rarer than gold, and to possess even one such bond is to be blessed beyond measure. Fuller, a man of both faith and observation, knew well that the world is full of acquaintances, companions, and fleeting allies — yet few souls ever find that single, steadfast friend who stands unmoved through the storms of life. In his words resounds both gratitude and reverence: for the one who has such a friend holds in his hands something eternal.

The origin of this wisdom lies in the seventeenth century, an age of turbulence and betrayal, when Fuller lived through civil war and the shifting sands of loyalty and faith. He saw men change sides for power, brothers turn against brothers, and ideals crumble beneath ambition. Yet in that chaos, he recognized that friendship — when genuine — was the one thing uncorrupted by politics or pride. His words are not a lament but a quiet thanksgiving. To have even one true friend, one heart that remains constant amid the fickleness of the world, is to have already received more kindness than fate owes any mortal.

For true friendship is not born in ease but tested in adversity. It is forged in the furnace of shared trials and mutual sacrifice. Many will walk beside you when the road is smooth; few will remain when the path turns steep and shadowed. The friend who endures through misunderstanding, through distance, through silence — that friend is the treasure Fuller speaks of. Such a bond is not measured in laughter or words, but in the unspoken trust that survives all seasons.

History offers us many mirrors of this truth. Consider the story of Damon and Pythias, two brothers in spirit from the ancient world. When one was condemned to death, the other offered his own life as surety, trusting that his friend would return before the appointed hour. The tyrant, astonished by their loyalty, spared them both, declaring that such friendship was more precious than the loyalty of kings. Their story, carried through the ages, echoes Fuller’s wisdom: that even one friend of such faithfulness is more than one’s share, for it is a gift beyond what this world often grants.

Fuller’s insight also carries a quiet warning. In seeking many companions, one may lose sight of what matters — depth over number, truth over appearance. The world today, rich in voices but poor in connection, still teaches this lesson through its noise. A man may have a thousand admirers, yet none who truly understand him. He may dine among crowds and still starve for companionship. But the one who finds a friend who knows his heart, who stands by him not for gain but for love, has found a harbor for his soul. Such friendship is the rarest wealth, richer than any fortune and lasting beyond the grave.

But this gift cannot be demanded — it must be cultivated. To have a true friend, one must be a true friend: loyal, patient, and honest even when the truth wounds. Friendship thrives on mutual respect, watered by forgiveness and tended by time. It cannot live where pride reigns, nor grow where hearts remain closed. It requires the humility to listen, the courage to speak, and the grace to stay when others would walk away. The one who gives these things freely will find, one day, that such gifts have returned to him tenfold in the form of an enduring bond.

So let this be your remembrance, my children of the heart: count your friends not by number, but by truth. If among all who pass through your life you can name even one soul who knows your pain, who rejoices in your joy, who stands beside you in your weakness — then give thanks, for you possess more than most ever shall. Nurture that friendship as sacred, guard it from neglect, and let gratitude dwell where envy once stood. For in the end, when fame fades and wealth scatters, it is the voice of that one friend that will still call your name across the years — proof that you have lived, not alone, but well.

Thus, Thomas Fuller’s words are not merely wisdom, but benediction: to have one true friend is to have touched eternity itself. Seek that friendship with sincerity, cherish it with humility, and mirror it in your own heart. For in a world that often forgets what is real, the one who keeps even a single true friend carries the rarest light — and that light shall never be extinguished.