Nuggets for Living
The importance of friendship cannot be overstated. Someone once said, “Friends are the most important ingredient in the recipe of life.” Among wealth and health, friendship stands out as the most essential value. Wealth is meaningless without the health to enjoy it; however, if you have wealth and health but lack friendship, you are miserable. Without the joy and emotional support that friends provide, life feels incomplete. It has been said, “No man is an island,” which highlights the fact that we all need friends for mutual support and encouragement. Friends help us share our joys and sorrows, navigate our ups and downs, and provide companionship that alleviates loneliness. As someone aptly put it, “Friends are like walls; sometimes you lean on them, and sometimes it’s just good to know they are there.”
Not all friendships are the same, though. They come in various forms and qualities. Some friendships are closer than family ties, while others may drift away in times of trouble. Friendships can be broadly categorized into two types: genuine friends and superficial acquaintances.
True friends are those who genuinely care about you. They are present during your happiest moments and stand by you during your deepest sorrows and despair. True friends remain by your side when your wealth runs out and your health declines. They celebrate your joys and share in your tears. Because true friends care sincerely, they will tell you the truth, even if it hurts. To illustrate, true friends are like sandpaper.
Sandpaper is rough, and if you rub it against your skin or face, it can be painful. We use sandpaper to smooth the rough surfaces of wood. In the same way, true friends help to smooth out the rough edges of your character and highlight your blind spots, ultimately making you a better person.
On the other hand, false friends are those who do not honestly care about you. They may seem present during your best moments, but they disappear when you face profound sadness or despair. They are interested in you only when you have wealth, but they will distance themselves when you face hardships. False friends often approach you with ulterior motives, seeking personal gain. Their compliments and praises are mere flattery. Thus, false friends are like “curry favor.”
For my Western readers, curry is a delicious and spicy sauce that is popular in Asian cuisine. However, I am using “curry favor” here to mean offering praise or flattery for personal advantage. Therefore, while false friends’ compliments may seem sweet and appealing on the surface, beneath that facade lurks a harmful intent. Be cautious of those who come to curry favor; they may turn out to be false friends.
I encourage you to reflect on your friendships after reading this. How many of your friends are like sandpaper, and how many are like curry favor? Congratulations to those who enjoy more sandpaper friendships. But if you find that many of your friendships resemble curry favor, “Whoa, that is trouble!” We need to strive toward cultivating genuine, sandpaper-like friendships.
Thought: “Friends are like walls; sometimes you lean on them, and sometimes it’s just good to know they are there.” (Unknown)
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