Friendship

[gonuguntla kondala rao]

Sharing a beautiful writeup on friends and friendship.

Many years ago, a newlywed young man was sitting on a couch on a hot, humid day, sipping frozen juice during a visit to his father.

As he talked about adult life, marriage, responsibilities, and obligations, the father thoughtfully stirred the ice cubes in his glass and cast a clear, sober look on his son.

"Never forget your friends," he advised, "they will become more important as you get older."

"Regardless of how much you love your family and the children you happen to have, you will always need friends. Remember to go out with them occasionally, do activities with them, call them ..."

"What strange advice!" Thought the young man. "I just entered the married world, I am an adult and surely my wife and the family that we will start will be everything I need to make sense of my life."

Yet he obeyed his father; Kept in touch with his friends and annually increased their number. Over the years, he became aware that his father knew what he was talking about.

Inasmuch as time and nature carry out their designs and mysteries on a man, friends were the bulwarks of his life.

After 50 years of life, here is what he learned:

Time passes.

Life goes on.

The distance separates.

Children grow up.

Children cease to be children and become independent. And to the parents it breaks the heart but the children are separated of the parents.

Jobs come and go.

Illusions, desires, attraction, likes ... weaken.

People do not do what they should do.

The heart breaks.

The parents die.

Colleagues forget the favors.

The races are over.

But, true friends are always there, no matter how long or how many miles they are.

A friend is never more distant than the reach of a need, barring you, intervening in your favor, waiting for you with open arms or blessing your life.

When we started this adventure called LIFE, we did not know of the incredible joys or sorrows that were ahead. We did not know how much we would need from each other. Love your parents, take care of your children, but keep a group of good friends. Dialogue with them but do not impose your criteria.

Refer this text to all friends who help make sense of your life ...🙏❤

[gonuguntla kondala rao]

OLD CHINESE Wisdom:

A farmer in ancient China had a neighbour who was a hunter, and who owned ferocious and poorly trained hunting dogs. 

They jumped over the fence frequently and chased the farmer's lambs. 

The farmer asked his neighbour to keep his dogs in check, but this fell on deaf ears. 

One day the dogs again jumped the fence, attacked and severely injured several of the lambs. 

The farmer had had enough, and went to town to consult a judge who listened carefully to the story and said: "I could punish the hunter and instruct him to keep his dogs chained or lock them up. But you would lose a friend and gain an enemy. Which would you rather have, friend or foe for a neighbour?" 

The farmer replied that he preferred a friend. 

“Alright, I will offer you a solution that keeps your lambs safe, and which will retain your friendship with your neighbour." 

Having heard the judge's solution, the farmer agreed. 

Once at home, the farmer immediately put the judge's suggestions to the test. 

He took three of his best lambs and presented them to his neighbour's three small sons, who were beside themselves with joy and began to play with them. 

To protect his son's newly acquired playthings, the hunter built a strong kennel for his dogs. 

Since then, the dogs never again bothered the farmer's lambs. 

Out of gratitude for the farmer's generosity toward his sons, the hunter often shared the game he had hunted with the farmer. 

The farmer reciprocated by sending the hunter the cheese he had made. Within a short time the neighbours became good friends. 

An old Chinese saying:

“One can win over and influence people the best with gestures of kindness and compassion.” 

Similar Western saying: 

“One catches more flies with honey than with vinegar."

Let's build bridges and repair  at every opportunity, instead of breaking them by our words and deeds.🙏 ❤