What I want to touch on very concisely, briefly, transiently and fleetingly—in this piece—this week, is very fundamental, key and crucial. It is something that is going to redefine so many things about your person and it will impact positively on the way you relate with others, going forward. It is something that is going to occupy your mind and shape your thinking for a very long time. And after reading through this piece, you are going to conclude whether you are a true friend to some people or you have one or two true friends around you.
What am I trying to educate you on in this piece? It is my assignment this week to educate you on who a true friend is and how you too can become a true friend. I know what I am sharing right now is very rare in this day and time, but the truth is; when you become a real and true friend to some people, you, too are going to attract real and true friends. The journey begins with you. On the condition that you are a fake and phony friend to some people, you are also going to magnetize false friends.
We live in a generation where the word “friend” has been abused and watered down. On social media, one can have 100million friends, but the truth is; true friends seldom come in every generation! One may have 300,000 friends on Facebook and not have one real friend in real life! The reality of what I am sharing with you right now will dawn on you when the chips are down and the spotlight leaves your head. When this happens, you will not see anyone out of your 300,000 e-friends!
True friends are not those who will relate with you because of what you have and how popular you are. No! But they will relate to you because of who you are, either you are popular or not. Also, they are going to relate with you because they love you unconditionally.
True friends will not withdraw from you when you stumble and commit a blunder. True friends will not withdraw from you when life happens to you. True friends will never join those who unduly judge you. True friends will fight on your behalf, even when you are wrong and fight with you behind closed-doors when you guys meet over the issue. True friends love you whether you are right or wrong!
True friends do not only involve you in their lives when you guys are having a mutual challenge. Some friends will only involve you, so that you people can corporately solve the problem together, but they will grow wings and fly away, immediately they are temporarily elevated above you. Also, the only time some friends will remember you—is when they are having some challenges in their lives. And after using you to solve their varied problems, they are going to disappear only for them to reappear when they are having another set of problems! They are called use and dump friends!
A true friend will not mind giving you an opportunity that legitimately belongs to either him or her; because he or she knows that you are better positioned to explore it. He or she is able to do this, because he or she is never going to compete with and envy you. A true friend complements, he does not compete. The question is; can you give an opportunity that is yours to a friend because he is better positioned to explore it? This is to let you know that friendship and companionship is a very deep and serious thing. Without selflessness, forget about true friendship!
A true friend will be very loyal to you while you are also loyal to him. He will be very honest and the same thing is also expected from you. He will be very strong when it comes to the value of confidentiality and you are also expected to be able to stomach the secrets of a friend of yours without divulging them, even if you guys later stop relating together. This is one of the high-points of friendship!
True friends do not keep secrets from themselves! If a principle is working in the life of a friend, he or she will be willing to share it with his or her friend (s). When two or more people are relating in the dark, they are truly not friends. This is very common today amongst friends. If you can keep secrets from him, then he is not your friend and if he can keep secrets from you, then he is not your friend.
When a true friend is promoted, he or she will not rest till the rest of his friends equally get promoted. But the fad is not the same in this day and time. When a friend gets promoted, he or she changes association and moves on to join those on the same level with him or her, forgetting completely about those they once took sweet counsel together. This is not what true companionship is all about.
True friends always honor the treaty and covenant between them—even when one out of two (or more) friends go to the land of the silent ones. The one alive will continue to be kind and committed to everything and everyone that he or she leaves behind. This is what honor and loyalty are all about in companionship.
Lastly, can you say that you are a true friend? And can you say that you have one or two true friends in your life? Till I come your way again next Monday, see you were true friends are found!
YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
STATE OF ECONOMY: How Nigeria Is Eating Its Future, Spent Over 90% Of Revenue On Debt Servicing
INDICATION that Nigeria’s economy is still in the throes of death has continued to emerge with the current low revenue it is generating from oil sale and increasing demands on its foreign debt obligation especially. The parlous state of the economy is heightened by the revelation that most of the revenue…
FACT CHECK: Somalia President, Deputy DID NOT Fight In Viral VIDEO
CLAIM: Somalia President, Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo and his vice exchanged blows to the point of wrestling themselves to the ground.
VERDICT: MISLEADING
FULL STORY: Nigerian media space was abuzz on Saturday, August 15, 2020, with a viral video which claims to show President of Somalia, Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo publicly exchanged blows with his vice…
NBS Says 21.76m Nigerians Unemployed In 2020
THE National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has put the total number of unemployed Nigerians at 21,764,617. The figure is contained in the bureau’s Labor Force Statistics website entitled “Unemployment and Underemployment Report (Q2 2020) released in Abuja. It referred to the report as an Abridged Labour Force Survey under COVID-19 for August 2020. According to NBS, the unemployment rate during the period under review…
Our Fears As 2020 WASSCE Beckons: SS3 Students Speak On Inability To Finish Syllabus, Other Issues
After a long unexpected delay occasioned by the lockdown from the coronavirus pandemic, the 2020 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) will begin in 19,129 accredited centres nationwide on August 17. Some candidates hoping to write the examination spoke with IMOLEAYO OYEDEYI and ADEOLA OTEMADE on their fears and expectations…
FG’s Renewed Tax Drive Will Do More Harm Than Good To Businesses —Muda Yusuf, DG, LCCI
The Director-General, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Dr Muda Yusuf, speaks with AKIN ADEWAKUN on the state of the nation’s economy, the various efforts of the federal government to breathe life into it, and why the renewed aggressive tax drive it recently embarked upon might be an anathema to the growth of the industrial sector since it targets investors more than the consumers…