FRIENDSHIP
True friendship seems to be rare in this world. But this does not mean that all friendships are false. It is true that friendship is a product of selfishness or of a desire to gain some benefits. Money attracts friends. The richer a man is the more friends he will have. He has the power to purchase with his money. Such purchased friends are helpful to him in his business, in the matter of his promotion to a higher position and in various other wordy ways. But as soon as these ends are achieved the ties of friendship are snapped. Such friendship end when money ceases to be the link between friends.
True friendship is of a different nature. It is lasting and changed circumstance does not end it. Money or self has no place in it. It is absolutely selfless. A true friend is always ready to make sacrifices to help his friend. This kind of friendship adds to the charm of life. It reduces the worries of life and solves it problems. In Shakespeare’s ‘The Merchant of Venice’ such friendship exists between Antonio and Bassano.
In politics, friend of today become enemies of tomorrow, and enemies of yesterday become friends of today. Political friendship are meant for self interest. There are friendship of opportunities and self interest.
A large circle of friends is nothing but a crowd of acquaintance. The spirit of true friendship is always absent from this circle. With the passage of time each goes his own way.
It is better to be alone and friendless than to be surrounded by false friends who might desert us any moment. Those people who have not experienced the agony of betrayal by their friends are indeed lucky.
A true friend is different from an admirer. He will not desert you when you are in danger. He never hesitates to point your faults. It is his duty to see that you do not remain ignorant about your faults. He will be happy if he finds you faultless, but he will be happier if he could help you remove your faults. The history of mankind is full of examples of both faithful and cheating ‘friends’.