Friendship is one of the most beautiful experiences of human life. From the age of awareness and throughout life’s journey, we all nurture friendships. Friendships remain with us till the end of life. But not all friendships that begin in childhood last a lifetime. Some continue lifelong, while others end midway. At times, new people enter our lives and become friends.
When talking about friendship, one thing everyone often says is: be a good friend. Out of many friends, sometimes one person becomes our closest – whom we call a best friend. Nowadays, the term has even turned into ‘bestie’. Many people speak as though life feels incomplete without a best friend.
But modern thinking suggests there is no rule that one must have only a single best friend. Not having a best friend is never a defect or shortcoming. Friendship can be compared to a shady tree. Some may sit under it, others may climb its branches. The tree never rejects anyone. And when the time comes, each one leaves. But the tree never forces anyone to stay nor does it threaten that without permission no one may sit in its shade again. Whoever wishes may come; if they don’t, it doesn’t matter. In the same way friendship is not something to be confined to just one person.
Being social beings, humans naturally interact closely with many. Some friends come during school or college, some at the workplace, and some arrive suddenly during crucial moments of life, like running for shelter in a downpour. Each person who comes into our lives leaves something behind. With their colors, they either beautify or distort the picture of friendship we carry. That is why friendship should not be restricted to a single person. When more people are included, life becomes richer in experience and the exchanges of giving and receiving grow.
Restricting friendship to just one person also has risks. If, for any reason, distance grows between you and that person, the separation or loss may feel unbearable. Such losses in friendship have even led some into deep depression or tragically, suicide. That is why maintaining balanced friendships with several people is healthier. Friendship is meant to be shared, not locked into one relationship.
A sweet can be given to just one person, but it can also be shared with many. Friendship is just the same.
Friendship is not a one-time deal. It is like an investment campaign – the more people you bring into it, the more fruitful it becomes. So, stop worrying if you don’t have a so-called ‘best friend.’ What matters is not the number of friends, but the quality of those friendships. After all, what good is a ‘best friend’ who is absent in your sorrows, joys or victories?
Having even one person who truly understands you, stands by you in every situation is a blessing. Sometimes that person may not even be the one you love most, but the one who quietly loves you. That is why the concept of ‘best friend’ deserves deeper thought and redefinition.
Whatever the case, nurture friendships. Build new ones. Be a good friend yourself. Keep friendship pure, free of deceit.
