What does tamed mean?

Excerpt from The Little Prince, by Antoine De Saint Exupery:

"Come and play with me," the little prince proposed. "I'm feeling so sad."
"I can't play with you, " the fox said. "I'm not tamed."
"I'm looking for friends. What does tamed mean?"
"It's something that's been too often neglected. It means, 'to create ties'...."
"The only thing you learn are the things you tame," said the fox. "People haven't time to learn anything. They buy things ready-made in stores. But since there are no stores where you can buy friends, people no longer have friends. If you want a friend, tame me!"
"What do I have to do?" asked the little prince.
"You have to be very patient," the fox answered. "First you'll sit down a little ways away from me, over there in the grass. I'll watch you out of the corner of my eye and you won't say anything. Language is the source of misunderstandings. But day by day, you'll be able to sit a little closer....."

I love the message of this passage. I often reflect on the words of the fox when I am meeting someone new who I hope to build a friendship with. Anyone who reads this post who actually knows me is chuckling right now because they know how issued I am about trust and letting people into my life. It basically never happens. But every once in a while, someone will come along who I find myself effortlessly drawn to, and who I instantly adore. And I am reminded that real friendship is a rare, beautiful gift. It's unassuming, forgiving, and most importantly patient. It's something you build and nurture - it's something that takes time. We are not conditioned for things that take time anymore. If we don't have instant gratification, we move on. There is beauty in letting people be who they are and not what you want them to be. There is grace in taking the good with the bad and not just forgiving, but truly forgetting. There have been so many times that I have let my pride cause me to shut the door on someone that I should have been more patient with. These are people that I look back on and wish I still knew. If I had been a better friend, I would still have them in my life and my life would be better for it.

So, if you see me hangin' out in your yard, not saying anything and letting you just be you....know that I am not a stalker.....just someone who would like to tame you. Someone who would like to be your friend.

P.S. Patience is not my strong point - I'm working on it, but it would help if you just yelled out to me to come on in!!

P.S.S. To all of the amazing foxes already in my circle of tamedness - this girl smiles everyday because of you.