Another time for reflection …
There is an old saying that says ‘a friend in need is a friend indeed’ and that is so very true. Friendship is more than just being friends … it’s a connection deep within the spiritual soul that becomes a gift of love. Sadly friendship is something that is too often taken for granted, and therefore becomes trivialised. One only has to look at social network sites such as Facebook where some people proudly boast that they have literally hundreds of friends. However a fundamental question needs to be asked, namely how many of these so-called ‘friends’ are true friends?
So how do we define ‘true’ friends? An unknown author once wrote that ‘true friendship is seen through the heart and not through the eyes’. Inevitably the vast majority of friendships on Facebook are simply seen through the eyes and most will be ships that pass in the night. True friendship is a very special gift shared between two people on a totally reciprocal basis. A unique bond is formed between them that will ride any storm, yet still allowing each other to develop as human beings. In essence, true friendship comes from the heart and is unconditional.
Friendship illuminates your life and world around you. There are few things greater than the gift of friendship and the connection with another human being. Think of your true friends and be grateful for the gifts they bring to your life. Allow your hearts to connect, bring comfort to each other, and look at the world through their eyes.
Many people go through life with but a few friends. Most of these cannot be called upon to share either good or bad times, meaning that they feel alone and isolated. Conversely, there are some who have many friends and undoubtedly interact on a regular basis about various topics or situations. However, just how many of these would be classed as ‘true’ friends? In essence, this is just the case in the Facebook scenario. For some people, having a few trusting and loyal friends is far more important than a multitude of superficial ones. Above all else, it is those friends who are ‘true’ that really matter.
So often we look upon friends to share the good times, to have fun and be frivolous in order to escape the drudgery of daily life. On the flip side, a true friend will cheer us up when we’re depressed, guide us when we feel lost and motivate us when we’re ready to give in. Alas there are too many who fail to deliver on the down side, these people earning the tag of fair weather friends! A true friend will provide for us when life falls apart, helping to enrich our lives and make us feel needed, loved and respected. Remember friendship is a blessing, and a friend is the channel through whom great emotional, spiritual, and sometimes even physical blessings flow.
Just take a moment to consider your friends and see how many are actually seen through the heart rather than the eyes.
A GLINT OF GOLD 