HAVE LOTS OF GOOD FRIENDS - IT'S INVALUABLE

                                                                                      - By Milan K Sinha

You too might have received and enjoyed this philosophical SMS message:

7 Colours Make a Rainbow 

7 Chords Make Music

7 Days Make a Week, 

7 Continents Make a World, and

7 Beautiful Letters Make Us Friends.

Truly so. Each one of us relishes our friendship moments whenever we get an opportunity in our relatively busy and fast life. The mythological story of Lord Krishna and His poor Brahmin friend Sudama has been very popular and inspirational for all generation all over the world. It is because the true friendship doesn't distinguish between high and low or between rich and poor. William Shakespeare narrates the virtues of a friend in this way: 'A friend is one that knows you as you are, understands where you have been, accepts what you have become, and still gently allows you to grow'. The old time tested saying, "A friend in need is a friend indeed" always reminds us the value of having a real friend. The poem, 'True Friends' by Emily is worth enjoying at this point:

Best friends stick together till the end

They are like a straight line that will not bend.

They trust each other forever 

No matter if you're apart you are together.

They can be your hero and save the day

They will never leave your side they are here to stay.

They help you up when you fall

Your true friends are best of all.

The old proverb: 'A man is known by the company he keeps'- in a way clearly tells us the importance of having such friends who can add and enrich good human values both during our days of prosperity and adversity. To say, in all probability, a man becomes what his friends are - if he has good company, he becomes good and vice 'versa. Investigating agencies, in general have been engaging their machinery to find out the who's who of the friends to know about the target person under investigation. The interesting theory behind this is that if you go and stay in a perfume shop your clothes will acquire good smell whereas even a better man who works in company of fish sellers, smells bad.

William Penn rightly says, "A true friend advises justly, assist readily, adventures boldly, takes all patiently, defends courageously and continues a friend unchangeably". But, is it so simple to be blessed to have real/true friends in today's life? Surely not because the friendship in its real sense of the word demands some basic prerequisite such as trust and reliability, honesty, loyalty, mutual respect, sense of caring and sharing etc. to be fulfilled. It's not one stop deal; instead it is an exercise which requires time for thoughtful nurturing. I believe nobody wishes to have friends who don't have these qualities because everyone wants what Henry Ford said, "My best friend is the one who brings out the best in me".

Otherwise, you will have to experience what Lord Gautam Buddha is to preach, "An insincere and evil friend is more to be feared than a wild beast. A wild beast may wound your body, but an evil friend would wound your mind".

Finally, before signing off, a small word of caution - mutual understanding is the pillar of friendship, but a small misunderstanding proves to be the killer at times. So, be matured, try to behave like an adult in those trying moments and sing this song from famous Hindi films, 'Dostana':

बने चाहे दुश्मन ज़माना हमारा,

सलामत रहे  दोस्ताना  हमारा .

# Published in Patna Daily. com

                                                           Will meet again with Open Mind. All the Best.

* Do visit my site : http://www.milanksinha.com/