Monday, August 6, 2018

Friend

The first Sunday of August is occasion for wishing friends on social media. Friendship Day was started by the greeting card industry. However with the spread of social networking sites, the greetings have grown with the copy-paste forwards. The sentiment may be well-intentioned but it may not reflect true relationships.

In the virtual world, the emotion is sometimes one-sided, sometimes pretence, sometimes self-centred and sometimes it is a craving to belong to the trend. It is a race to get more virtual connections than one’s colleagues in the virtual world. There is a symbiotic relationship to over praise and use superlatives.

Of course, there are many genuine friends who may use the occasion to celebrate their bond, but they would do so even without occasion. There are instances of social media strengthening the bonds of friendship. However it is pertinent to note that there are many more factors than mere declarations on friendship day.

Friends find reason to create moments to breathe life into their relationship. They do not pay superficial lip-service. They choose to share joys and sorrows, good and bad times with their friends. Friendship is about cooperative and supportive behaviour between persons. It involves acceptance, affection as well as trustworthiness.

You cannot really force someone to be your friend. But, you can choose to be true friends with the person who you want as friend. Being worthy is about being dependable, showing affection, sharing and caring. And all these must be done in the real world in real ways in real space… not just virtual!

If I am a worthy friend in every way
Every day will be a friendship day!


~ Pravin K Sabnis

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