Friendship

What's the first relation a child would experience, apart from that withhis mother and father? It is friendship. The human survival is based on friendship. From the highest authority to the lowest bums living on the streets all of them have experienced in some way or the other one of these different kinds of friendships. We take this friendship for granted because it is something that exists naturally in society and most of us never really have to actually go out into the world looking for a friend. But how many of us do realise, that a true friend is as rare as (an open text book in engineering?) the purest of diamonds? Ever tried counting how many friends you have? Some might go on counting to, probably, say 20. But you could count on your fingers, the number of people who would stand stalwart, no matter what the odds against you, or whom you could call at two o' clock in the morning and still be confident you wouldn't get screamed at for disturbing sleep, and who would lend an ever-steadfast ear to whatever rubbish you might have to let out of your head. To have atleast one, would be nothing short of a blessing. 

The very pivot of this relation, is an unfailing loyalty and an infallible trust, between the two friends. With loyalty comes trust, and with trust follows loyalty. The true friend being a rarity, a strong inexhaustible frindship is probably even rarer. The question of egos arises here too, and many do fail to realise the triviality of a hurt ego, when placed beside a broken bond. Often, the order of hierarchy is blatantly fouled up, only to see the sorry end of a wonderful bond. 

Contrary to the accepted adage, love is the weakest relationship. Couples split as easily as they bond together. Even blood relations break off. But friendship is what stays. Once a friend, always a friend. Friends stand by you, when even your own family thinks twice. Friends are always there, near or far, to throw in a word of comfort or two. True Friends are rarer than we think they are. People change unbelievably over time, and thats what makes us realise, how no amount of money to get a friend stand up for you, when all you can see are accusing fingers pointed straight. Indeed, there is no bond like the one you share with your best friends, in fact, even your boyfriend/girlfriend would be your best friend first. A friend in need is a friend, indeed. Friendship, is what makes the world go round.

Relationships

What makes man different from other beings which exist? What has made him emerge above all the other animals?His ability to bond, to hold relationships with those around him. Mother-child, Father-child, Wife-husband, Brother-sister, brother-brother/sister-sister, friend-friend and more popular, the boyfriend-girlfriend; each is unique in itself, and has a beauty about it. Talking chemistry, some might look like covalent bonds, one day they are as strong as if stuck with fevi-kwik, and then drift apart in no time at all for the triflest of issues; while some ionic bonds remain steady and sail smooth, no matter how many whirlpools or storms they encounter. Man is often referred to as a social animal. He seeks companionship, and it is his nature to long for association with other fellow beings. Inspite of this, we see man groping in the dark; countless kinships we see breaking before our eyes, all for reasons so silly, not even worth metioning. Adults and adolescents alike, having clashes over trivial issues, even to the extent of breaking blood relationships. Each pointing fingers the other way, neither willing to break the ice. A relationship after all,is like a coin, whether its stands or breaks, is the result of each person in the relationship, and not just one standing stalwart. Seldom people fail to look at the other's perspective, or stand in the other's shoes, or just give a thought to why the other behaved as they did. Tempers rise. Egos clash. There is a fine line with ego on one side, and pride/self respect on the other. When the limit to this line is discerned, there need not be any effort to hold up the relationship - it will stand on its own. A little patience, a small compromise, a little control over anger, a bridle over any nasty retort on the tip of the tongue, would go a long way in making things better. "Why should I be the one to say sorry?" is the question that would pop in to the mind first. Instead, it should be, "Is all this worth losing a friend/relative?" Saying sorry does in no way make u shorter by an inch or two. Inevitable clashes and confilcts may occur, but it is the reconciliation that matters in the end. The very crux of a relationship is not love, as many would reckon, it is trust. For without trust, any other aspect of a relationship does not hold weight. A little baby would laugh out loud, when thrown into the air by his parent, with the assurance that he would land safely into his mother/father's arms. The same baby, after having reached around 20 years of age, would be very reluctant to show the same degree of trust, towards the same person. And in all probability, he would put this fragile emotion somewhere where it is least respected - an infatuation or the like. The reason? Human nature. So full of folly himself, man assumes the other to be at the pinnacle of perfection, and finds it frustrating to know that he is wrong. Every relationship passes through this fault-finding phase at some point of time, and only those bonds which believes that it's just a phase, and waits in patience for it to pass, emerges strong. Considering the daily frustrations at college/ work, that patient waiting takes a little strength of mind, and more importantly, trust in the other. A healthy relationship would most definitely involve give-and-take from either side. Honest communication, a wee display of affection, would take the relationship a long way.