It is possible to intentionally make friends. I can act nice and go out and find people to be nice to, with the purpose of making them my friends. I can throw parties where people have a good time. I can supply people's needs. I can even bring candy to work every day. But if I ever drop the act, stop the parties, turn off the cash faucet or stop bringing that candy, I will lose the friends.
I never did really care about how many friends I have though, or even if I had any at all. I went through my life, did what was right, helped a few people when they needed it as I was able, and basically tried to do "life" the best I could. And I have quite unintentionally gained a few friends. Not nearly as many as if I had tried to get friends, of course. But the friends I have, I can be certain they will be my friends even when I have had a bad day, or when I'm broke, or when I just don't have anything to benefit them.
(My best friend and I still trade chocolate bars though - if either of us finds a new brand of really good chocolate, we gotta pick one up for the other guy. Not because we have to in order to retain our friend, but because we know each other will like it.)
Given what I just said... why do people think I should go out and look for a wife? If I did find a girl, and change myself to what she wanted, or provide her needs, or do whatever it took to make her want me... would I really want what I got?
And THAT, friends, is why I'm still single. And happy.
Mind you, I might find The One For Me tomorrow, and we might get married next week. But I'm not going to look for her, and I'm not going to try to make anything happen.