What is the essence of real friendship?

Friendship…

All of us are blessed to have a company as we journey in this trip of life. We don’t feel alone because we have these people who never cease to stand by our sides. These people give us the assurance that we’ll not walk all by ourselves. We share a lot of memories with them, together with the laughter and even the tears. But when could we consider these people as our friends? Who could be our real friends? What is really the essence of real friendship?

“No man is an island’ according to the song. This makes us realize that having people around us proves that we need acquaintances. They are the people whom we meet along the way, sharing simple smiles at first and then having simple talks until becoming friends. We consider them as friends because they are the ones who keep us company, joining us in our little endeavors and adventures. They laugh with us and we make funny stuffs together. Friends are actually found anywhere, as long as we only know how to interact with them. Gaining friends is actually a great thing to be done; we should learn how to communicate with others. Friends share stories with each other, having fun with each other and laughing out loud regardless of the surroundings. They are the ones whom you’re with most of the time. 

Real friend on the other hand is a much heavier form of company. Friends could be found everywhere but only a few could be considered as a real one. When we say ‘real friend’, we mean someone who’s with us through our up’s and down’s. He is the one who knows who we really are, knows our negative attitudes, knows our dark secrets, and knows our shortcomings and even our failures in life. He knows almost everything about us, if not everything, and yet he continues to stand by us and accepts us regardless of our weaknesses. He understands our shortcomings, comforts us with our failures, encourages us to do good and reminds us how precious we are even though we’re not perfect. Having real friends is indeed as good as finding a treasure. You can’t fish real friends’ everyday, they come whenever we need someone true and worth relying. Real friends stay with us during our lowly days, never leaves us when we’re burdened and find ways to ease our pain. They comfort us and they share their time with us without asking for anything in return. They are the ones who respect us as well as the decisions we make. They trust us with their secrets, and they believe in us even though others refused to. They understand and they don’t easily judge. Real friendship is actually a good source of love.

The essence of real friendship doesn’t rely on the things you have in common. It might contribute to the bond, but it is not everything in any relationship. Differences could also become avenues for people to build a good friendship. It doesn’t matter if the person is poor, ugly, stupid, or whatsoever. What matters is that you understand each other, and you don’t look at these differences as hindrances in becoming friends. Status in life is not even an issue. If you are rich, it doesn’t necessarily follow that your friends should also be as rich as you are. If you are beautiful, it doesn’t guarantee that your real friends are also as beautiful as you. Everything is fair when it comes to friendship. It is not a measure of material things or even physical structures; it is a measure of loyalty, honesty, understanding, trust and respect. The friends whom you laugh with most of the time could leave you in times of trouble but real friends don’t. If you’re with your real friends, you could feel secured and you could even laugh at your own mistakes with them. You could be stupid around them, and yet not making you ashamed of who you really are. There is no such perfect friendship, relationships could be tested and some of these tests could really get so tough. All must contribute in building the strong foundation. Remember, it’s better to have a few real friends rather than having a bunch of fake ones. :)

---rHiEl---