YOU ARE LUCKY IF YOU HAVE TRUE AND SELFLESS FRIENDS - FRIENDSHIP DAY IS RELEVANT

 

The International Day of Friendship is a United Nations (UN) day that promotes the role that friendship plays in promoting peace in many cultures. It is observed on July 30 each year.

Friendship Day is celebrated on the first Sunday in August to promote the role that friendship plays in our lives. It was started by America but is celebrated all over the world.

In India, Every year, National Best Friend Day is observed on June 8.

Friendship is a relationship that is unique in itself. Whether it is sorrow or happiness, we need friends who can stand with us. Friendship is that relationship which does not see any age, caste, color, relationship, religion. The relationship of friendship is deeper and bigger than any other. Some friends are meant to become family. 

Friendship is like a foundation which helps in developing our social skills. Research indicates that close friendships are associated with greater happiness, self-esteem, and sense of purpose. Some bonds are even associated with positive physical outcomes, such as lowering of the blood pressure and a longer lifespan.

Friendship day promotes the value of friendships

Friendship Day holds special significance as it celebrates and promotes the value of friendships. It encourages people to appreciate and strengthen their bonds with friends, fostering unity, understanding, and positivity. Universally, Friendship Day is celebrated on the first Sunday of every August. On this occasion, friends give friendship bands, cards and gifts to each other.

Known as a symbol of friendship, this day was first suggested in the year 1919 by Jose Hall, the founder of the Hallmark card. For the first time, in 1935, the United States Congress announced to celebrate Friendship Day on the first Sunday of August. But, in South American countries, the month of July is considered very sacred, so this day is celebrated only at the end of July. In Bangladesh and Malaysia, this day has become more popular under digital communications. The United Nations also put its stamp on this day.

How to maintain healthy friendships for a long time?

Strong friendships are built on a foundation of honesty and trust. Providing an honest perspective, repairing ruptures by apologizing or sharing your feelings, and consistently making time for the people you care about are the pillars that support a lifelong connection.

Maintaining lifelong friendships provides deep fulfillment and meaning. A few key practices can ensure that those bonds don’t fade over time. Friendships require that both people invest time into the relationship, cultivate trust and honesty, and work through disagreements when they arise.

What are the qualities of a good and true friend?

A good and true friend is kind, trustworthy, and caring. They listen when you talk, support you when you need help, and share in your joys and sorrows. They should be honest and real. It can only be done with a clean heart. Our mythology includes many stories that give examples of deep friendships.

Friends complement each other. There is no discrimination between rich and poor in friendship. This is a relationship in which there is only love and trust. Friendship should be done selflessly. The ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle wrote that between friends, there is a particular type of love. This can mean sharing emotions through empathy and helping a friend in need.

Personal experience with friendship

My personal experience tells me that friendship is the most beautiful relationship  because friends stand with us even when the whole world turns its back on us. Friends are good role models. If there is exists a best person in this world then he/she must be a friend. A true friend can change your world. All you need is to spend some time with them. The sorrows and troubles in life become lighter in good company. If I start writing about some friends, I will fall short of words to praise them in true sense. In my view, one of the best qualities of true friendship is, therefore, to understand and to be understood. Isabel Norton, who is an author and actor, says “In my friend, I see a second self.”

Friendships in Hindu Puranas

Sage Veda Vyasa has beautifully narrated some friendships in Hindu Puranas.

• Krishna and Sudama
• Karna and Duryodhan
• Draupadi and Krishna
• Shri Ram and Sugriva

The friendship between Sudama and Krishna is also very famous. Krishna's childhood friend's name was Sudama, whose financial condition was very weak. On the insistence of his wife, Sudama goes to meet his friend and Shri Krishna welcomes Sudama by seating him on his throne. Both do not speak anything regarding wanting anything. But Shri Krishna gives him so much that Sudama is left stunned. This is true friendship.

Now, let's talk about the friendship between Karna and Duryodhana. Both of them were friends since pre-gurukul days. The war of Mahabharata proves the depth of friendship between Duryodhana and Karna. To make Karna as an equal in the war, Duryodhana established the kingdom of Anga and established Karna as the king of Anga. Karna always fought on behalf of his best friend and while fighting, he got martyred in the battlefield too.

Draupadi and Krishna's mutual love, respect for each other, and selfless friendship became an extraordinary example. This will remain memorable for centuries. They shared their hopes, fears, and dreams. Both of them were best friends. Krishna used to call her 'Sakhi' and she called him 'Sakha'. They shared a beautiful ideal bond by taking care of each other and supporting each other unconditionally. They were always there for each other. Once Lord Krishna cut his finger while driving Sudarshan Chakra. Seeing him bleeding, worried Arjun asked Draupadi to help Him. Draupadi immediately tore her clothes and tied it to his wounds.

 

The bond between Shri Ram and Sugriva is also an excellent example of selfless friendship. Their willingness to support each other through adversity exemplifies the essence of true friendship and mutual trust. Sugriva played a big role in Ram rescuing Mother Sita from Ravana's captivity. Shri Ram, along with Sugriva and his monkey army, defeated Ravana in the war.

We cannot praise this important day which increases the feeling of friendship and belongingness of a person towards another person. Some spread the message of promoting brotherhood through their actions irrespective of religion, while others stand up selflessly for the distressed people.

The lesson we learn from these examples of friendship is that to make society a better place to live in, we have to rise above any kind of discrimination and broaden our thinking so that we can ensure a good life for future generations.

Writer Anaïs Nin opined that “Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born.” As Nin conveys, friendship can elicit joy, companionship, and growth—enriching our entire experience of the world.

Friendship makes life more enjoyable and enriches a person's everyday mundane routine. Finding true and selfless friends can be a challenging task but it can often be achieved by connecting with people with common interests