The great thing about friendship is that we all have the ability to build new friendships at any age. A good friendship can teach you something about yourself and with trust and understanding, challenge you to keep going through the good times and the bad.
“It’s not the man who has too little who is poor, but the one who always hankers after more “ Aristotle
Many great religious teachers have urged us through the millennium to face up to where we are, to our present life predicament. Their teachings are that as humans, we live in this earthly realm of desire and wanting more is part of our constant problem, so how do we learn to live out our lives in a more tranquil and joyous way.
Good friends can have a positive effect on your health, research shows that social isolation and loneliness have been linked to issues such as high blood pressure, substance abuse and heart disease to name a few. The opposite of course is true, if we jump into a relationship with the first person that whispers sweet nothings into our ear we may be in for a shock when things get tough and they get going. Without clear judgment and the right view, abandonment will surely follow.
With many global tipping points heading our way: both social, cultural, environmental and out-of-control industrial militarisation we need to look not only to our own strength of character but to similar qualities we find in our friends. You may not be banished to a faraway county but you will still need to find your place, reclaim your community and remember what being human is all about. The word to remember is humanity and the fact that we are all part of it.
Main photo credits – antonino visalli / above – tim marshell – Unsplash
If we only see friendships as a way to advance our own personal needs how then can we ever find trust? How many people can you count on when the chips are down? The modern world of fake news is intimately associated with the new commodity we call ‘Facebook Friends’ – It’s sad indeed that honourable relationships are replaced with a thumbs up and a single click. Anyone who has been helped through a life trauma by the unrelenting kindness of a friend can bear witness to what true friendship is about. By commercialising the word friendship we have lost its meaning.
Are you surrounded by ‘fair-weather’ friends who disappear when their needs are met or by ‘kindred spirits’ of those who lift you up when you fall? It’s time to find out.
In these uncertain times, we should seek out friendships that can support us to make good lifestyle choices, friends that can have a direct impact on our health and well-being. It’s good to remember that happiness is contagious and the opposite is true, sadness infects everyone in its orbit. If you find yourself sad or depressed then hang out with some happy friends as the best antidote.
Oh yeah, and be careful who you let in. None of us here are without experiencing the negativity that doubt creates in our lives, true friends help us to focus on building confidence and a positive attitude. Let’s all get out there and shine a light on the happy people who make a difference in our lives, they are the true heroes of this story for they have so much to offer, as do we.
