Hello Readers,
Much has been said about the causes of modern social problems, from divorce to homelessness, obesity, addictions and many other difficult situations that people have discovered themselves in and its been suggested that these problems are to be found in areas of poverty, stress and unhappiness. However, researchers suggest that we are overlooking something far more crucial, ‘friendship’. It would appear that our society is neglecting its importance.
The philosopher ‘Aristotle’ said,
‘In poverty and other misfortunes of life, true friends are a sure refuge. They keep the young out of mischief, they comfort and aid the old in their weakness, and they incite those in prime of life to do noble deeds’.
Friendships are vital to well being, but they take time to develop and cannot be artificially created. No wonder they are at risk of being neglected.
At times, where would any one of us be without our good and trusted friends? There are times in our life when we most need our friends to be on standby, ready to do anything or go anywhere because of an emergency, stuff happening around us in our lives that we have absolutely no control over, but at that precise moment in time, we need all the help we can get.
There are times when we need to confide in a friend for reassurance and support because we doubt our own judgement, probably because we are too emotionally involved with a particular situation. There are times when we need to share a secret and when we need someone to rejoice with over some fantastic news or an achievement. A friend believes in you when no one else does. They listen when they have heard a tale over a hundred times before, but they are still there for you when things go wrong. A true friend never sits in judgement and says ‘I told you so’, but neither will a true friend agree with you on absolutely everything, especially if they have your interests at heart and not just their own agenda. A true friend will never let you down, but a fair weather one will if it is not in their personal interest to make any gains for themselves,so its important that you recognise just who you can trust and who you are wise to keep a healthy distance from.
A true friend will pick up the shattered bits and pieces of your life and glue them back together again. A true friend will always make time for you no matter how busy their schedule may be.
Sometimes our friends are our own dear families and in some cases they are not. There is a very well known saying at ‘Friends are Gods apology for our families’ For so many of us our best friends and constant companions are our pets because they are so closely connected to us.
For me personally, my true friends are very important to me and are an enormous part of my life. Over the years there have been many times when we have needed one another during both the the good times and the bad. Our lives are fragile and can change in a split second. One minute we can be laughing and making merry and in the next we can find ourselves weeping and feeling completely at a loss and bereft. The friends who care the most, the ones who can be relied upon are the ones who prove this by their actions. Remember, words are cheap, its actions that show a person’s true character. To have a friend, you must also be a friend. Its a two way deal, not always one sided. True friendship is given freely and unconditionally but must be treated with reverence and utmost respect.
A friend in need is a friend indeed and strangers are only friends we have not yet met.
Until next week,
Love and Light,
Linda and The Lulas
xxx
