I am sure we are
familiar the popular maxim ‘a friend in need is a friend indeed’. Well, that is
because Friends are conducio sine qua non for survival on our planet earth. A
friend is a person with whom we a well acquainted and regard with affection and
trust. Friendship is what makes the world go round; whether political, social
or even educational.
Perhaps after family, friends are the most
important set of people closest to the heart, a handy tool for the journey of
life. But then, how precious are friends to us, how much time and space do
friends have in the daily schedule of our lives? These and more questions today shape the
nature of relationships we find ourselves in.
Indeed, friendship is
quite essential for our survivals as it has even be said [and even proven many
times over] that some friends are better and more reliable than family members.
[I expect some disagreements here], but perhaps a personal introspection will
help you find some truths in the above statements.
Now to the crux of the
matter, depending on the stage of your relationship [acquaintanceship, friendship,
intimacy], you may have definitely come across a lot of people and like someone
once said, they have either been a blessing or a lesson. But I ask, how and why
do people either become a blessing or a lesson for us? How did we allow them to
get to the stage of even becoming lessons when they cannot be blessings?
Rhetorical as it sounds; it still throws up another question, how much of your
‘ear time’ do you give to people?
Yes, Ear Time! What do
you listen to, how much of your time do you invest to build up friendships? Is
it reciprocal, what are the dynamics and attributes of your relationship with
friends? What do they tell you, what do you choose to listen to, how much of
their information do you accept? In my first year as an undergraduate student
of politics at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Southeast Nigeria, I took some
Mass Communication classes and there, I was introduced into the world of Gate keeping.
Now this concept simply
state that there are Gate Keepers at each stage of the Communication Matrix who
determine the worthiness of the information before circulation. Call it
censorship and you will not be out of place. Juxtapose this with the current
handling of information in our world today and you will get a clearer picture
for your personal understanding.
So what impact do
friends have in our lives and what roles do we assign to them when we allow
them into our lives? When you choose your friends or you allow them do the
choosing, there is now exist a connection - whether it is symbiotic or
parasitic is up to you.
They say, never make
people a priority when they don’t even make you an option. As you step out into
today, take out time to measure the ear time you give to people and how much
you get in return, and then you will know that there is a difference between
hearing and listening because one comes with a price – to pay attention.
It is the midyear, time
to take stock and know evaluate. How much ear time do you want to give to those
who do not make impact in your life? What kind of ‘friends’ should stay and
which should go? In as much as friendship lubricates the wheel of our
existence, there are those inimical to our survival.
A caveat though, in
your journey to self-rediscovery and in determining who should become an
expired history and an experience story, you will be tagged a snob, arrogant
and proud. Yes, please accept such labeling but do that which is good for your
heart and soul.
Always Believe in What
You Do and Do What You Believe In. God Bless you plenty!
#TrueFriends #ReachWithin #Inner Strength
OjisiEmezie
Speaker,
Compere, Volunteer.
Think
it! Believe it! Work at it! Achieve it!
6 comments
Friend are major determinants of our future!
ReplyDeleteTrue friends are scarce these days. But maybe we might find true friends if we are true friends ourselves. A true friend might be the most annoying of your friends but will be your mirror and tell you the truth no matter what.
ReplyDeleteIn truth Oge, but how patient can we be, to see through the annoyance into the good?
DeleteSpot o @ Oge!
DeleteOjisi, we can be as patient as patience itself!
Spot on @ Oge!
Delete@ Ojisi, we can be as patient as patience itself!
Well Voby, I agree we can be patient as patience itself, but ask yourself, how many are willing to be patient in this world of uber speed?
Delete