Friendship is Like Money

Friends from the Northern a couple have gone...

 

Working on my novel Daughters has awoken in me an interest in the meaning of relationships and friendships indeed one of the chapters is entitled Relationships. Working at a place where the turnover of people is high (Northern Hospital) and working in teams that depend on each other for support, know-how and expertise has also awakened this interest.
"Friendship is like money, easier made than kept", said the author Samuel Butler. In a world where the machines of play have taken over the personal there is not much time for working on friendships. Friends are made easily enough our means of instant communication  contact us with myriads of people who are our "friends". But in this cyber world the word and its meaning have been debased abused and hijacked.
Friends are those who we are prepared to spend the time, effort and energy to be close to you. They are also the ones who take that often dangerous journey along the high narrow path of trust where the views are spectacular but the falls can be mighty.
Over the years I have had many friends some for many but most are like pebbles on the bottom of a trout stream, washed downstream and little noticed because of the frenetic activity above and the need to move on.

People I know who are good at making and keeping friends do the following things:

 

• They  accept people as they are and don’t try to change them.
• They  be themselves, real genuine people always are able to maintain friendship. 
• Real friends talk with each other and genuinely listen.
• Real friends are reliable – keep your promises, meet deadlines.
• Real friends don’t criticize needlessly and  avoid blaming each other for their own failings.
• Real friends admit mistakes and say ‘sorry’ when they are wrong.
• Real friends always keep their trust.

Most friends in my life I remember well, all have made their mark.

PS: Bogie has decided to sleep outside on the veranda, he really does not like the new bedroom.