The Four Loves

p. 63

Friends have a common interest.  They are side by side in addressing it.  But “those pathetic people who simply ‘want friends’ can never make any.  The very condition of having friends is that we should want something else besides friends.  Where the truthful answer to the question Do you see the same truth? would be ‘I see nothing and don’t care about the truth; I only want a friend,” no friendship can arise . . . There would be nothing for friendship to be about; and friendship must be about something, even if it were only an enthusiasm for dominoes or white mice.  Those who have nothing can share nothing; those who are going nowhere can have no fellow-travelers.”