The online Free Dictionary by Farlex defines ‘FRIEND’ as
“A person whom one knows, likes, and trusts. A person whom one knows; an acquaintance.”
Dictionary.com defines similarly;
“A person who is on good terms with another. A person who is not hostile. A person who gives assistance”
In the run of our lives, we are all thought to be as honest as we can be, NO MATTER WHAT! That is, indeed, the making of an honorable and respected person. However, looking back at the definition of ‘FRIEND’* above, honesty just doesn’t cut it!
“...knows, LIKES,...”
“...is on GOOD TERMS with.....NOT HOSTILE....GIVES ASSISTANCE”
Being a ‘FRIEND’ , a ‘GOOD’ friend in that, is really something more complicated that cooking a 5 Star Italian full-course meal. It’s not just about the question of using the correct ingredients and using them at the right time, combining all those subtle, if not ‘cocky’ flavours into one complex-palate-satisfying dinner on the table, but it is about how one come to learn the essentials of when to speak of the appropriate things at the correct moment so as to win a ‘FRIEND’s’ LIKE of you to be in GOOD TERMS with them.
How? All you need is a little seasoning and the correct spice tying up the whole concoction. Yes! This means, LYING. Or does it?
So all friendships are just one big bucket of lousy lies? Not really. Depending on the situation, being a ‘FRIEND’ could just mean lending over your ears or even just your presence at the moment of need, bla bla bla...
To be in GOOD TERMS with your friends and to avoid HOSTILITY, paltering is needed unless you can season your words up to a point where even a roadside fast food tastes better than a 5 Star Restaurant. Honestly, ask yourself, when was the last time you said something in front of your friend(s), so called, “asking for their advice(s)” and in the end using them? Ok, so you do use some of them. But remember how they were suggested to you. Was it ‘seasoned’ or was it a platter of hot plain ‘ol white rice slapped right onto your precious piece of skin on your face? Compare them with those you did not, which scores higher?
To fib or not, sometimes it all winds down to choices of being tactful of situations where the control of one’s’ tongue is of most crucial. It is not an excuse for not knowing the ‘ethics’ of talking or being a person in this complex society of ours. It’s all about will power.
So, yeah, you don’t even know how to hold a spoon to feed yourself, BUT YOU’VE LEARNT!
You don’t know how to drive until you were 18, THERE! YOU’VE LEARNT!
You don’t know how to operate an electronic gadget. But YOU WILL LEARN HOW!
So you don’t know this, you don’t know that, HELL!! No one knows everything! We all learn! How fast we learn it and the reason for it depends pretty much on our very own self. So why not learn having control over mind, body and TONGUE to be a truly GOOD FRIEND while not having to prevaricate at all?!??!???
It’s your body,
It’s your brain,
It’s your tongue,
It’s your mouth,
It’s your life,
Be wise,
Be in control...
*Non-intimate, non-romantic friendship
