FRIENDSHIP

According to an old German proverb, “a life without a friend is a life without a/the sun.” Some might disagree with this statement, like Benjamin Franklin, who once said (that) “there are three faithful friends – an old wife, and old dog, and ready money.” But I believe that a friend is a gift you give yourself: it is a necessity and luxury at the same time. Real friendship is hard to find but it brings sense and comfort to our lives.

Friendship is like two clocks keeping the time. It’s a single soul dwelling in two bodies (this idea is known as a proverb nowadays but the words originally belong to Aristotle.) You don’t have to explain anything – your friend might know you even better than you know yourself.

I have lots of friends, but I haven’t got the true friend yet. For me, the true friend is someone with whom you could be absolutely sincere, trust him or her completely and be able to tell everything. In other words, before this person, you may think aloud (these are the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson.) A friend is (some)one who knows all about you and likes you anyway. And this is the great high privilege, relief and comfort of friendship.

Friend can tell things you don’t want to tell yourself. This is good, because this type of criticism, coming from the person who loves you and understands you, will make you change. However, this can be bad, because it’s very hard to hear negative information about yourself, especially from someone who you trust (and who is supposed to be tolerant to you under all circumstances).

Still, if you have a person who you could call a friend – a real friend – hold him/her with both hands. Friendship is very hard to keep and easy to lose. Remember to be patient with your friend rather than lose him forever. It is like a plant we must often water. Respect your friends, remember about them, show your love, trust and appreciation to them as frequently as you could. At least, try to be with them and talk to them. Virginia Wolf once wrote, “I have lost friends, some by death… others through sheer inability to cross the street.”

Of course, as our life goes on, we are losing some friends and acquiring new ones. How many of us boast of having kept our school friends/friendships? For instance, my mother, who definitely had good friends at school and university, at present communicates with only one woman from her previous job, her elder sister, and the family of our neighbours. This example shows perfectly well that, with time, we change exactly the same as people who surround us.

Old friends, like old shoes, are comfortable – worn in all the right sports and guaranteed not to pinch. New friends are like new cars – exciting, but yet to be tested. Best friends are comfortable and exciting. With these special people, the thrill of discovery lasts till the end of your life / a lifetime. With our friends we are always defining ourselves, always sharing our dreams and our worries, and (most important of all) always being ourselves.

True friends, real friends, old friends, best friends, new friends… Friendships come in all varieties, but their common denomination is joy. A friend is someone you enjoy being with – and who enjoys being with you... As wise people say, life is nothing without friendship.