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Let’s face it, we’re all busy and sometimes it’s easy to take our loved ones for granted, especially our friends. This week in Love Letter, our newsletter about the highs, lows and woes of relationships (including friendships), we’re sharing these simple steps to being a better friend.

To celebrate Modern Love’s 15th anniversary, we’re revisiting the first-ever Modern Love essay, in which writer Steve Friedman makes several attempts to reconcile with his ex. She would rather be friends. He would rather be more. Needless to say, it doesn’t end well. (And if you’re looking for something to watch this weekend, may we recommend our new series?)

And sometimes mishaps turn out to be a blessing in disguise. In this week’s Vows column, a misprint on a plane ticket brought Brooke Watson and Nelson Madubuonwu, two friends who had dated in high school and lost touch for six years, together again for an unexpected 3-day love affair in New York, which Ms. Watson referred to as their “very wonderful delay.”

How to Be a Better Friend

A true friend gives support without judgment, comes through in a crisis and knows just the right thing to say when it matters most. Keep reading to learn how to be a better friend.

We want to hear your stories.

Here’s how to submit a Modern Love essay or how to be featured in an Unhitched column. Don’t feel like writing more than a tweet, an Instagram caption or a Facebook post? Consider submitting to Tiny Love Stories, which are no more than 100 words. Getting married? Here’s how to submit a wedding announcement.

Email your thoughts and feedback to loveletter@nytimes.com.