Friendship 101
1.) A friendship can weather most things and thrive in thin soil; but it needs a little mulch of letters and phone calls and small, silly presents every so often - just to save it from drying out completely.
- For those who took the time to snail mail me, you have me close at heart and I truly know that. For those who bothered to ring me or even have my number - I shall pay for your telco bills one day when I marry a generation from the Buffet family. For those who remember how much every girl would love surprises - I have penned your birthday/special occasions down to send you one in return. For those who have done none of the above, you now understand why the juices of our friendship dried of.
2.) An insincere and evil friend is more to be feared than a wild beast; a wild beast may wound your body, but an evil friend will wound your mind.
- I have met plenty on the way here. Its a wild jungle out there. I cannot help but think why aren't there hunters out there to shoot the evil of out the jungle.
3.) Be courteous to all, but intimate with few, and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence.
- I have put my heart out and let down my fortress only to be hurt and betrayed. Trust is to be earned. I dislike those who try to be intimate but offer no sincerity. When your loyalty is divided, I have no confidence to confide in you.
4.) Friendship needs no words - it is solitude delivered from the anguish of loneliness.
- Munchkin, I think you understand this the most. It is the very foundation of our friendship.
5.) In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit.
- Fungying, Waishin, Maria, Joyce, Victor, Ming, Sarah - you all deserve my inner gratitude.
6.) It's the friends you can call up at 4 a.m. that matter.
- Andrew and the boys at the Doctor's shed. you are all my strength and my light in my darkest and loneliest hours. FOR answering my phone calls and popping over just to wipe over the tears - thank you so much!
7.)Silences make the real conversations between friends. Not the saying but the never needing to say is what counts. The real test of friendship is: can you literally do nothing with the other person? Can you enjoy those moments of life that are utterly simple?
- Andrew you understand this the most. You have passed that test with flying colours. For the silence on the bus rides and the walks back, you have been there to savour life's precious moments with me. Remember the times you and I just laid there counting grass and laying them out in a circle around your feet? You have been awesome throughout the silence.
8.) When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives means the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a warm and tender hand.
- Fungying and Waishin, you both deserve medals and an award for sharing my pain and healing my wounds.
9.) There is nothing on this earth more to be prized than true friendship.
- Sincerity and genuine-ness outshines anything else. I may be gullible but my naivety doesn't stop me from seeing a real friend for who she or he is.
Have you been a true friend? There are strangers, acquaintances, friends and people who live in your heart. Who do you allow to live in your heart and trust not to trash it? Have you truly been a friend because you truly care or because you benefit from the "friendship"?
