The
quotation “No man is an island” is almost always used within the context of
friendship. In fact, it is often interpreted as no man can stand alone by
himself and that every individual needs to be surrounded by different people
who share the same interests and views that a person has. Every person in this
world is in pursuit of friends, however, rarely does one find what is called a
“true friend”; that is, one who is able to stay in a close and genuine
relationship with another person through thick and thin. Indeed, true friends
are one of the greatest joys in life everyone should have. They are the pillar
of strength that keeps us going and adds color to our lives.
The word
“friend” was taken from the German word “freogan” which means “to love” and “to
favor”. Interestingly, the term “friend” has been used as a verb in the English
language since the late 14th Century (Friend, 2012a). As a noun, the word
“friend” is used to describe a person whom one personally knows, likes and
trusts. In some cases, the word “friend” may also pertain to an acquaintance,
an associate or a colleague (Friend, 2012b).
Interestingly,
there are a number of terms synonymous to the word “friend” which are being
used at the present time and one of these is the word “acquaintance”. However,
the words “friend” and “acquaintance”, although sometimes being used
interchangeably to mean the same thing, also have certain differences in terms
of meaning. The word “friend” pertains to the people that one chooses to talk
to and share experiences with. Friends are the people one normally interacts
and socializes with. They are the people who share the same interests, hobbies
and other things with another person. Acquaintances on the other hand, are
people whom one only know by association. An acquaintance could be someone who
was introduced by a friend, a classmate or someone close to a person. Thus, an
acquaintance is someone that is known by a person but is not considered as a
close friend or even a well-trusted individual. Thus, the main difference
between a friend and an acquaintance is that a friend is someone who shares a
close relationship with an individual while an acquaintance is a person known
by an individual, but does not necessarily share a close relationship with that
individual (Acquaintance, 2012).
Personally, a true friend is
considered a joy in my life because he or she is a person whom I can trust,
rely and depend on especially in times of trouble and sorrow. Rarely does one
find a true friend because in many cases, friends come and go in one’s life and
only very few stay particularly during times of difficulty. A true friend is a
source of happiness and joy. Aside from being a pillar of strength in times of
trouble and loneliness, a true friend also adds color to my life as that person
shares the same fun and happy memories that I experience each day of my life.
Moreover, a true friend matters to
me because he or she is someone I can trust with even the innermost secrets
that I keep deep within me. Without a true friend, I would have no one to share
my problems with. I would also have no one to share the happiness and joys I
experience in my day to day life.
I believe that friendship easily
blossoms when two people share the same interests and views in life. When two
people are able to constantly communicate and in the process, build a strong
relationship, friendship blossoms even more.
But while making new friends can be
easy, making a true friendship last, can be quite difficult. This is because
for true friendship to last, it requires a testing of time. Time is what shapes
and defines two people’s level of friendship and determines the strength of
their friendship.
I am one of the few fortunate
people in this world who was able to find a true friend. Back in kindergarten
days up to the present time, I have managed to maintain and develop genuine
friendship with Marco. I consider him my true friend and “best friend” because
even though we went to different schools in elementary and high school, we
still managed to share a deep friendly relationship with one another. Although
we have fought and went through many disagreements in the past, I believe that
those experiences all the more made our friendship stronger and more colorful.
If there is one important lesson I
have learned about friendship, it would be the value of sincere love and care
for another person. From the very start, I have shown my best friend how much I
love and care for her and in return; she did the same for me, and helped me out
through the difficult times I went through.
Aside from genuineness and
sincerity, I believe that constant communication is one of the important rules
to keeping a friendship close. Regardless of the length of distance that
separate two friends from one another, I believe that the only key to maintain
and strengthen friendship is through communication.
Therefore, a true friend is indeed
a source of joy. As in the words of Joseph Addison, in one of his famous
quotations: “Friendship improves happiness, and abates misery, by doubling our
joy, and dividing our grief (Addison, 1711). Indeed, he is trying to point out
that a true friend is only capable of increasing one’s happiness and joy while
at the same time, decreasing one’s misery and grief.
Therefore,
no amount of time or length of distance will be able to hinder a true friend
from sharing with his or her friend, the joy that comes from within. In this
sense, a true friend is indeed one of the greatest joys in life one could ever
have. Moreover, a true friend is a pillar of strength that keeps a person going
despite difficulties and challenges in life. A true friend also adds color to
one’s life as he or she tries to share the same fun and happy memories that one
experiences in day-to-day life.
References
Acquaintance (2012). Dictionary.com. Retrieved July 20, 2012,
from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/acquaintance
Friend (2012a). Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved July
20, 2012, from http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=free-love
Friend (2012b). The Free Dictionary. Retrieved July 20, 2012
from http://www.thefreedictionary.com/friend
Friendship (2012) Quotations Book.com. Retrieved July 20,
2012, from http://quotationsbook.com/quote/15916/
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