Emerson argues that a person should possess a degree of independence and self-respect before becoming a true friend to someone else. Friendship, in his view, should not arise from neediness, dependence or the expectation that another person will provide one’s identity or sense of worth. To be “our own friend” means being able to rely on one’s own judgement and maintain an inner stability.

Within Friendship, this idea reflects Emerson’s wider emphasis on self-reliance. He values close relationships, but believes they are strongest when each person remains an independent individual rather than becoming absorbed into the other. Friendship should therefore join two self-possessed people who can offer sincerity, respect and generosity without surrendering their autonomy. The quotation presents self-knowledge and independence as foundations for a relationship based on mutual strength rather than dependency.