Sunday, August 21, 2011

582 words essay on Friendship


A friend is one of the rarest blessings of man's life. A true friend is one who stands by another through thick and thin, in all weather. He is equally ready to share the joys of prosperity and the pangs of adversity. He is not a summer companion who fades away in the frosty days of winter. He is not a soft-spoken flatterer who says what will give pleasure only. He is not afraid to speak out the honest truth, however unpalatable it may be. He is always a sincere well-wisher, never a honey-tongued flatterer.

Naturally, in this hard world, it is always good to have a friend. In life prosperity and adversity come and go like sunshine and cloud. The companionship of a good friend heightens our joys and lightens our sorrows. Men may gather round our festive board when we are well-off, but they will melt away, leaving us severely alone when adversity darkens our life. Our true friend will step in then and he will be with us to cheer our drooping spirits, and share our misfortunes.

Since such are the uses of friendship, it is one of life's choicest blessings to have a few sincere friends. But it is not as easy as it may seem. To attract friends, one must oneself be attractive. For this, the first thing necessary is to have a trustful nature. Confidence alone begets confidence.

One must open one's heart to a friend, holding back nothing. Secondly, one must be tolerant and forbearing. No man is all-good, and if one is always fault-finding, it will produce a feeling of natural disgust. This leads to estrangement. It is only when friendship is tested by the trials of life that faults may be pointed out.

Thirdly, there can be no true or abiding friendship between men of unequal status or worth. Real friendship is possible between equals. It is the disinterested commerce between equals.

In other words, there must be no intention on one side or the other to make friendship a matter of gain or convenience. In Shakespeare's 'Merchant of Venice' Antonio and Bassanio are unfaltering good friends. You keep your mind clear; it will be filled with the delicate air of love and goodwill. It has been said that a friend is a person who not only shows us the way but walks paces of the road with us. So friendship has to be kept in good repair.

If to make friends is a science, to preserve it is an art. It depends on cultivating a spirit of harmony and proportion. One must not be too exacting. Having won a friend one must nurture him with love and affection like a delicate but useful plant. Friendship must not be taken for granted. The aim must be to serve more than to receive. And what is given must be without reserve and ungrudging; what is received must be recognized as a privilege. To quote Dr. Johnson, "A man, Sir, should keep his friendship in constant repair."

Though friendship is, no doubt, a great blessing, yet it is not without its drawback. For one thing, friendship may make one rather uncharitable in one's judgment to the rest of mankind. It is also easy for friends to become conspiratorial, to join in designs, against others for securing mutual benefits, Cassius, a friend planned while drawing Brutas in the conspiracy against Julius Caesar. It is good to make friends, it is bad to use them against others.

Source : http://www.preservearticles.com/201103184616/friendship-essay.html

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