Good friends are like stars

By - Mridula Chaudhari

Good friends are like stars - that indeed is true!! What do we expect from a friend? Apart from going shopping, partying with them or dropping children to school or to watch a movie or some such activities, is there any other need of a friend? Why do friends or friendship make such a lovely relation? Why is it that we feel at ease in their company?

They say if you have crazy friends, you have everything. It’s the crazy friends who never let you down – least of all on your secrets.

Do we really share our deepest feelings with our friends? At least with one friend, do we do that? Do we open up completely to our dearest friend? Don’t you think in the age of emoticons, sharing our specific ‘man ki baat’ has become old fashioned? What could be the reason? Are we ashamed of sharing our real emotions and hence try to be ‘politically correct’ in each of our conversations? Have we become so addicted to sharing stuff on facebook that we have almost forgotten the meaning of sharing emotions with friends.

We jealously guard our feelings from everybody. Privacy is our topmost priority which we watch fiercely. As a result there is no sharing from either side. This gives birth to a friendship that is limited in relationship. If we feel like letting them in any of our secrets, we fear that it may be leaked. Or is it our ego that comes in our way? We love our privacy so much that sharing a secret may affect our very being? But the fact remains that every human being has the need to share their feelings.

Don’t you think that there should be someone with whom we can share our deepest feelings, thoughts and emotions? I remember a training session where the trainer asked a girl to open her friend’s fist and the other girl had to keep the fist tightly closed. Both the friends exerted pressure from either sides resulting in opening of the fist. The trainer congratulated the girl but added, “She is your friend, you could have just said, “Dear please open your fist for me”, don’t you think she would have opened?” What a wonderful thought! Why don’t we think from our hearts anymore, like the children do?

We need a friend who is trustworthy and can remove loneliness from our mind. This is certainly a tall order. The first rule of the game would be to be trustworthy ourselves. We get what we give, and in that measure too. Finally friendship is a give and take. Selfless love in friendship is rare to find, but something everyone desires.

Sharing is a very intricate part of human psychology. Everyone loves to share their joy and sorrow. Sharing makes the heart at ease and gives it certain calmness. Friends are the most beautiful people God has created.