"Friendship is an indispensable aid in framing for ourselves the higher moral life; if not itself a virtue, it is at least associated with virtue, and it proves itself of service in almost all conditions of our existence. Such results, however, are to be derived not from the worldly friendships of utility or pleasure, but only from those which are founded on virtue. The true friend is in fact a second self, and the true moral value of friendship lies in the fact that the friend presents to us a mirror of good actions, and so intensifies our consciousness and our appreciation of life."
As i was on the topic about friends back then, i came across this very meaningful philosophy from one of the greatest philosophers around, Aristotle.
The result i got from the definition of friendship from dictionary.com
friend·ship
n.
- The quality or condition of being friends.
There's more than just the quality or condition of being friends. There's a deeper meaning behind it. Of course, the dictionary, does not explain the word explicitly.
To me, 'friend' is a very subjective term. I can meet any strangers out there, and be friends. Hey, why not? It's as easy as that.
What i want to highlight is -- A true friend.
Friends are definitely an indispensable aid in framing for ourselves the higher moral life. However, we have to know that friends DO come and go. We cannot hold onto them for a long period of time. There are cases where true friendships do exist and last for a really long period, that i'd call, surpassing the test of everything. It's testing the level of trust and faith you have in the certain friend. Testing the amount of patience and tolerance, testing, the meaning of life. It's very perceptive. What i perceive may not be what you perceive here. A true friend is someone that is very different to individuals.
Personally, i might or might not say i have met true friends. Perhaps, there's still a long way to go. Currently, everything is alright therefore nothing is really put to test. How much a person really values the other is still unknown. Sometimes, big bangs happen. That's when you suffer, but that's also when you realise and notice the outstanding people who are there for you. In life, we always sacrifice. Friends sacrificial. How much are you willing to sacrifice for a true friend? We are happy with the presence of our friends. But are they only there when times are good? What happens when something terrible happens? Will friends leave you for some stupid reasons that they might regret for their entire life?
Being young as i am, open-mindedness has been the top piority. Why? There's still many things in life that i've yet to experience. Closing my mind and settling my beliefs is as good as crushing my future, a future, that i've yet to see... hear and feel. From younger days, i realised that i can't even remember any of my kindergarden best friends. We moved on in life, we lost contact. Yet the memories we shared together are etched in my mind and heart. Best Friends forever. That was a common term used in Primary School. We start treasuring good friends. After the graduation from PSLE, we still parted our ways. Best Friends forever? Not anymore.
People come and go in our life. We might forget their names, but we don't forget the faces. We don't forget the times we had. We don't forget our childhood. Well, unless, we lose our memory, that is.
Friends are friends when you feel best, and best of yourself when you're around them. You say anything without feeling stupid, even so, you'll just laugh it off as a joke. Sometimes, we are unsure if our friends are really true to us. How i mean by true? They may be acting as if they cared, but no. When something happens, true colours show. Some colours are beautiful, yet some are so horrifiying that we start losing faith. Losing the faith in believing that friends are true and lasting. Maybe lasting isn't the best word, because it ain't a product where there's wear and tear. Hey, but... through times, the 'product' goes through the many, challenges, i would say, experience wear and tear, yet remains strong and everlasting. True friends are hard to come by. We always do not treasure what is left, only to remorse when something is lost.
Friends is something that is not judged by the quantity, but the quality. Many people have the misunderstanding that it's 'the more the merrier'. No, it isn't. The quality is what counts. I would rather have A true friend than 100 -so called- friends. There's certainly a difference. A difference in my life, at least. Last but not least, let me praise Aristotle for his existence and contributions to this world once again.
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