Tuesday, February 22, 2011

The Bird A Nest, the Spider A Web, Man Friendship.


"Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art... It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival."
                                         - C. S. Lewis


Loyalty. Such a rare character trait in people. For some reason, I have the notion in my head that in time past, it was not so uncommon. But people have always been people, and while certain ideals may have been held in more distinct regard, the core of human nature has not changed. Love of self is predominant in humanity as a whole. And that particular quality tends to outweigh all other facets of daily living. Especially in friendship.

To find a friend - and I mean "friend" in the truest sense of the idea, not merely an acquaintance - is not an easy task. There are plenty of individuals with whom I would consider myself friendly, but only a handful I would actually call friend. The concept of friendship is one that I hold in very high esteem. And I do not believe too high. It is something sacred and something to be cherished greatly. However, far too many people seem to overlook this truth. Instead of friendship being revered, it has been shockingly cheapened by becoming a simple social option, something to be cast by the wayside at the slightest whim or distraction. In my experience, to most people, friendship is the lowest form of human interaction, to be superseded whenever it becomes inconvenient. Whatever is shiniest attracts (or distracts) the attention, and I see that in so many people. Sadly, friendship becomes the safety net of other social ventures, kept around as the backup plan.
Naturally, it makes sense to conclude that those who hold such flaky opinions of friendship, whether consciously or not, should be kept at a distance. It saddens me deeply that this must be the case. But it is my own naivety that has allowed for this disillusionment in people. Why would someone not choose to invest in something so wholesome as friendship? Why must people live so desperately for themselves? A good friend is a rare thing. Not all we meet or grow to know should be considered such.
I do thank those who have been true friends to me and those who have sincerely tried. As Thomas Aquinas wrote, "There is nothing on this earth more to be prized than true friendship."

2 comments:

  1. Sorry man, go ahead and borrow my car. You didn't have to write a whole blog about it. :)

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  2. Nothing shall I, while sane, compare with a friend.
    Homer

    ReplyDelete