24.7.05

Gifts of Friendship

Friendship is one of the most valuable wealth anyone can possess in a lifetime. Some friends come and go but the real ones stay forever.

While I was looking through a good topic to read in my devotional, I came across the issue of real friendship that led me to examine some of my own. It was really timely because I was just thinking about some of my relationships, how it has influenced and affected me as a person.

Someone said that a friend is a jewel that shines best in the darkness of misfortune. This reminded me of someone who dumped a friend because she felt that she was never really there for her when she needed her. Now the relationship is restored because that friend figured in an accident.

Sometimes it takes for accidents to happen for us to realize a person’s value. However what I realize is, sometimes people are not real friends to us, but if we are, no matter what we have said about a friendship, we will remain real and true to it.

I am personally blessed with a number of faithful and devoted friends who do not hesitate to tell me what I need to hear even when I don’t like what they have to say. These are friends that I may not always talk to but when we do get together, it is as if we were always around each other.

These are friendships that are not affected by social status, economy, time, money or distance, nor will it be enhanced by prestige and success.
At least the real ones.

But then again maybe people also outgrow certain friendships, and that doesn't necessarily make it a fake. I mean I can think of many friends that I haven't seen in a long time, only to see them years later with the so called friendship all seemingly dead. It is sad, but then, it is a fact of life.

Sometimes I have expectations on my friendships, and when they are not met, it could get really discouraging, and disappointing. I remember a time for instance when I thought I was really great friends with this person, only to find him making insensitive comments to me. And then there was this girl whom I have invested so much of myself to, only to hear about things she has to say about me. And I can go on and on.

I don't know if it is a universal truth but I just noticed that as I grow older, I have become very sensitive. I remember having an agreement with someone that if we didn't have anything nice to say to each other, then we will just shut up. When I heard those people who are supposedly my friends say not so nice things about me, I tend to shy away from them. It makes me ask if I am being over-sensitive or what?

Or maybe I am just confident of my real friendships that I don't mind losing the dicouraging ones..

Now let me catch some sleep!