FRIENDSHIP: an eternal bliss

Like the ten commandments of the Bible say it all about what God expects from his highest creation, this ten letter word “friendship” says all about what this ‘creation of His’ needs from each other. Man, the mortal, has been sent to this earth alone. He comes to this frenzied world in solitude, performs his predestined job and then passes away in seclusion. During this odyssey of life, some of the fortunate ones are bestowed upon by a bequest so blissful that nothing else is required to complete life. Yes, its friendship that I am talking about!! Friendship- A bond so strong that ascertains its existence even when every thing has turned against you- an attachment so effectual which enhances your worth- a connection so pristine that it understands the language of heart- and finally its a relationship that surpasses all the others by a mammoth!! Don’t you think so?? Well I do. Friendship has and will always get the gold in the race of all relationships.

I heard a saying long back-“Friendship is unnecessary like philosophy, like art…it has no survival value; rather is one which gives value to survival”. So true!! Ever imagined how your life would have been without your friends?? Even the imagination quite gives goose-bumps, isn’t it?  After all, life is partly what we make it; and partly what is made by the friends whom we choose! Now coming to the word “friend”, what best describes it is the word ‘alter-ego’, your reflection, your second self, your mirror! He is the one to whom you can confide things that reside in the deepest bottoms of your heart. He is the one to whom you look up to and exalt. He is the one who holds your hand when it’s stranded by others. He is the one who discovers a new path for you when you are between the devil and the deep sea! But hey wait!! All that glitters is not gold- not all friends do that. I mean friends come in many categories- true friends, best friends, close friends, just friends and false friends. There might be other types too, but I am acquainted only with these.

True and best friends- these two can be closely wound with each other or rather they kind of harmonize each other. True friendship is like water- transparent, pellucid and amorphous. Transparent because there’s no concealment, pellucid because there’s no pretence and amorphous because it has no boundaries. It just grows stronger with the passage of time. Friends can’t be best if they aren’t true- true to themselves and true to each other. Aristotle said “friendship is one soul dwelling in two bodies”. But I think a bit of correction is required out here; it should be “true friendship is one soul dwelling in two bodies”. Don’t you think?? I mean you can’t have your core to share with all and sundry. The one you do it with is your “true or best friend”. A small glance in the eye unveils the untold saga. That’s true friendship!! I don’t think I really need to include words like trust, loyalty, conviction, belief etc while talking about true friendship. The word ‘true’ itself speaks volumes!! It often forms the root of that one evergreen tree, love and the root is the one which gives anchorage to the plant. You stop watering the root and the tree dies automatically. So isn’t it proved that friendship is ranked first in the race of all relations??

Your true friend is your most severe, but best critic!!! No two opinions about this. He does not any have vested interest and this gives him the above title. It’s just your true friend, who is candid enough to speak unpleasant truths about you point blank. It’s rightly said “true friendship is like sound health; the value of it is seldom known until it be lost”. Your life seems lost because half of life’s battle is won if you have a true friend by your side!!

People often confuse friends with acquaintances. The category -just friends and false friends are nothing but customized acquaintances. Just friends are like fair weather friends- they shine with you in your sunny days; but will run for refuge when it rains leaving you to get wet alone! Such friends can be characterized by their conduct- there speech is more of sycophancy and obsequiousness instead of austerity and simplicity. False friends are somewhat similar to just friends. The only difference between the two is that the ‘green eyed monster’ plays its part more significantly in case of false friends. Mark my words- it’s ‘more significantly’! They are the ones who won’t hesitate to give you the advice you need the least. Beware of such ‘friends’!!! They are found in plethora!!!

“Best friends are like diamonds; precious and rare, False friends are like leaves, found every where”- I don’t know who said this; but feel like bowing my head before him!! Kudos!

As we are en route towards our destination in life, we make many friends sporadically and it is kind of indispensable, especially when we are subsisting in an era where “survival of the fittest” is the maneuvering mantra. In this metamorphism, we often tend to forget the alphabets which taught us to make words! Didn’t get me? Huh!! I’m talking about old friends fading into oblivion due to entrance of the new ones in our life. Just like alphabets teach us words, old friends form the pedestal in making the new-fangled ones. An old friend is like a photo album that gives you a walk down the memory lane in this busy life. “Forsake not an old friend, for the new one is not comparable to him. A new friend is as new as wine; when it is old, thou shall drink it with pleasure”-absolute justification!!!!

  

So, this is what friendship is all about! Call it a boon, integrity, veracity or ecstasy- friendship is eternal. You know its true worth, and you are the happiest person on earth, trust me. To brief it up in a single word, Friendship’s EDEN! I don’t have anything else to say except this:

Friendship is………….

A sojourn through the forests of uncertainty,
an expedition through the grasslands of jocularity.
a drive on the boulevard of dolor,
a voyage jam-packed with color.
a nostalgic odyssey,
a stalwart ship sailing over life’s sea………