Being a good and constant friend is one of the biggest goals I carry with me. Friends almost always are worth the amount of time you put in (though you should be careful to understand if the other party does not value the relationship as much as you do). The New York Times had a great article on friendship this week and how to maintain your friendships.

The more pressed you are for time, the more you have to prioritize the quality of your interactions. But I've found it doesn't take much time or disrupt my day to each month: send a couple letters or postcards, set-up a couple lunch dates, reach out with a couple text messages to see what's new with someone who's not local. By the end of the month that's quality interactions with 5 or 6 folks.

It's a ongoing goal, but one that returns dividends.