[whywhywouldyou]

We must have very different definitions of the word "friend". I don't count someone I run into on a walk a friend, and I don't think this would fit the definition for the majority of people.

Sounds like you're being friendly with people, which is of course great, but I highly doubt any of these "friends" of yours would help you move.

[arthurofbabylon]

The pyramid I described flows upward. Every close friend we have began as an acquaintance, and with time and repeated interactions they became progressively bigger influences, stronger supports, deeper connections.

Many adults stop forming friendships, because they (or their culture) insert mechanisms that maintain distance between acquaintances. I don't do that – my whole strategy is to not do that.

What is the threshold at which point someone becomes a friend? There's no clear line – it's defined by amorphous things like trust, vulnerability, shared enthusiasm. The way we conduct ourselves can make us more or less capable of experiencing trust/vulnerability/shared-enthusiasm/etc. While the person I run into for the third time is not yet a friend, I conduct myself knowing that we can probably get along quite well, if we're both present and open.

You might underestimate the power of curiosity and an open mind. Remember when you were 5 or 10 years old, how suddenly you connected with your best friends? It happened in a matter of days, or in some cases hours. It's not just a phase of life thing (although it is relevant), open-mindedness and curiosity have the same effect in adulthood.

(Finally, I guarantee a large portion of the people I interact with each day would help me move, if I were to ask. Many of them are literally catching me while I fall rock climbing, and vice-versa!)

[dukeyukey]

Not at the start, these things take time. But every close friend starts as a casual friend, who starts as a stranger.