“It seems hard to have more than two friends,” says de Botton.But never close that door. “It’s always worth being open to new relationships,” says Dorothy Rowe. “My advice is to always make friends with the generation below you – that way you are not lonely in your old age. But whatever age you are, I’ve always judged a successful friendship as one in which when you meet up, you just carry on where you left off.”STELLA VINE AND JANE NEWELL’The words unconditional love spring to mind’The artist Stella Vine, 36, lives in Bloomsbury, London. She is known for her controversial portraits, including an image of Princess Diana dripping in blood. Her best friend is Jane Newell, 37, a nanny, who lives in South Kensington, west London Both women are single.Stella Jane is my rock We met in 1988 when I was 18. I’d just escaped Norwich with my one-year-old son and started at drama school in London She was my new boyfriend’s sister.

She had big flicked hair and fantastic legs and we got on instantly. She was sensible but also had a fun, wild side and we spoke the same cultural language. We balanced and complemented one another perfectly.We did lose touch when I went through a particularly dark period. I was working as a hostess and I cut myself off from everyone.

But Jane got in touch a couple of years later and we fell back into our friendship straight away.Friendship today may mean a whole number of different things, but the words unconditional love spring to mind. In a nutshell, it’s when you’ve messed up and you’re being a pain in the arse but your mate is still there for you. When you are at your weakest, you are at your most selfish and you have nothing to offer. To have a friend who can offer you wisdom, advice and support at times like that is really special.

The balance is redressed when you are there for your friend, too.When I think of the things that Jane’s been through for me – her contribution to my life has been massive and her wisdom has been profound. I feel totally indebted to her.Jane A sign of true friendship is being able to go through phases of drifting apart but always being there for one another. Stella and I have known each other for a very long time so it’s only natural that we’ve had moments of being close and moments of not seeing one another, but we’ve never questioned our friendship.I remember meeting her very clearly It was in the late 1980s in the Rock Bar in Covent Garden. She was with her drama school crowd and looked very cool – a willowy blonde dressed in black We clicked instantly even though we’re very different With Stella, nothing is ever done in half measures I’m more centred and calm. Her life is always full of drama and mine is comparatively boring.But despite our differences, I know that she is always there for me and vice versa That is the essence of a true modern friendship. You need to know that someone will be there and not judge you, no matter what happens.The role of friendships has changed over the past few decades. Friendships have become much more important for women, particularly single women.