Random thought on friendships

How do friendships form? Chronologically from birth, the people we know are our family, neighbours, schoolmates, colleagues/ work associates, and somewhere along the way, people met through various informal/ less structured social settings or events or activities.

I always feel that friendships can be stronger than family ties eg cousin Yan and I have known each other since forever and are great friends whereas I'm not too close to my siblings. I skipped the neighbours bit cos there was no one around my age. Some schoolmates have become steady friends, and some colleagues have also become more like friends.

How are strong and steady friendships formed? As in what make people stick together? I still go out with my pri school classmates, especially CY; the only sec classmates I'm still in contact with are those who went to NJ too; for JC, there's the core KLK group. Is it a matter of sharing more common space or spending more time together? Or is it deeper than that? Like common interest, matching wavelengths?

Had this revelation a while ago, that friendships are first seeded out of similarities, which can refer to the same environment, common interest, etc. But common activities alone are not sufficient; it's only the ignition point. From there, perhaps due to character match or odd but strangely good mismatch, people become firm friends, even though the interest that has brought them together in the first place may wane over time. Else, when interest in the common activity dies, so does the friendship.

Anyway, looks like a lovely Saturday after the shower, if I could only shut my ears. Outside, cars and some machines are running outside, the kopitiam will only get noisier as the day goes on; inside, the TV is blasting in the room, another is blasting in the living room, and Mother kept interrogating bro. Suddenly yearning for somewhere ulu where at least the outside noise seems non-existent. I like it quiet. But I'll need a car to access ulu places. I've decided to get a licence.