I am sure all of you will correct me as the saying is the other way round.  However I do not believe in that saying, I believe that we will be content in life by grounding oneself with friends and relatives, and to a certain extent one has to be close to the enemies too;  We never know how much we may learn from them.

 

Why am I speaking about relationships?  well, I noticed that my circle of friends is always expanding, and rarely that some friends fall in the cracks.  We sort of maintain our friendships and stay in contact even if we are living in a very far place.  I noticed also that I rarely have problems with my friends, if we did, we can sort it out quickly or just ignore it if it’s not serious.  Even though I am load and can be a bit daunting, I feel that I sort of kept my friendships and continued to meet with them whenever the situation permits.

 

Every person that I had met during early school, middle school, high school, university or work has been added to the list of friends. maybe we do not talk or exchange messeages, but we all certainly visit in weddings and funerals, we talk when there is an illness, we greet when we have a birthday or a new year, we tell each other our news. however, i stay away from those that toxicate friendship, by talking about others or gossiping, and I felt that this was the best remedy to stay in a healthy relationship with all the friends.

 

However off late I realised that being friends with my own family had reaped the best results, I treat my brothers, sisters, mum, my own children and of course my husband as my friends, and had kept them close to me, went to places with them, travelled with them (especially my mother) and had a fun time whenever we all meet.  family can also be considered as friendship, I had a friendship with my dad (PBUH) and today I miss him so much; most of the times I dream of him when I need an advise, or a consultation.

 

Also I realised that not all people that come in your way will continue to stay, some friends come for a reason (I dont want to use bumper stickers here like the saying: Some friends come for a reason, some for a season and some for a lifetime) to lead you to something important in your life, thus I am not upset when they leave me, I still exchange messages with them.

 

Sometimes friends want to you in a mould, to be exactly like them, share their beliefs and do what they do.  and if you do not match their expectations they leave you and go away. to these friends I only have one advise, I am not upset that they had left me as there are over 7 billion people in the world, and each one has a trait, a special fingerprint, and many other things that are made to suit one person only.  No one can be like you exactly, and when it comes to political or social phenomena, leave each person to their own beliefs. All your fingers are not the same.

 

My advise for the new year. consider friends as gem stones, some will be the diamonds, while others will be a jade, all are great, but some need to be dealt with in a very delicate way.

 

Happy new year everyone and here is to friendship.