Classify Your Group Of Friends

So many things have been written on the subject of friends and relationships. I do not claim that this one will be altogether different but it is an effort to share m thoughts on how I classify friends.

The first group of friends is “friends in need”. In most cases, this relationship between two persons has each one innerly consenting to having the other benefit from the association. This friend may be your godmother or godfather, or neighbors. He can be your subordinate, your secretary, whose work and contribution you will need so that you can get recognized for the job done. At worst, he can be someone whose company you need even if you do not enjoy it – a situation where if you do not have his company, then you are left with none at all. He is therefore, someone you need for your own interests. In fact, he can also be a rival for a particular pursuit.

The second group of friends is “friends in sharing”. These are friends you go out with because you share the same interests at that time – movies, parties, sports, hobbies, etc. they can be your childhood playmates with whom you have shared your younger days. They can be a lover, with whom you share intimate moments. Your confessor or confidante is your friend because you share problems with him. A business partner, with whom you share common business interests, is another “friend in sharing”.

“Friends indeed” are the third group of friends. When a person would not want something bad to happen to you, when he wants you to grow up and develop, he is a true friend. He may be your boss who would be happy to see you go up with him or be in his level someday. He may not even mind you being ahead of him someday, because he knows your capabilities and he knows his too. You can work together. This friend would be willing to give a part of himself to you and not wanting something in return.

For all our human follies, we cannot expect all our friends, or even ourselves, to be a friend indeed. Friendship is a measure of how much we realize that we may have been the first or the second type, but that we strive to be worthy to belong to the third kind.