Life has been a huge roller-coaster ride since I started JC life. And I gathered a wonderful group of friends, whether it be among my classmates and ex-classmates, the scholars, the Drama Club or my church friends. I’ve done a lot of thinking on friendship over the past few months, and I’ve collected my thoughts and posted it here in one go.


What are Friends, really?

Those who are incessantly nice to you?
Those who know very well how to hurt you?
Or both?


Are friends those who let debts slide if it’s really needed?
Those who bang down your door demanding repayment?
Or both?


Those who pretend to like your music?
Those who yell at you to turn it off?
Or both?


Those who take time off to help you study?
Those who expect you to help them understand?
Or both?


Those who shower you with flattery?
Those who drown you in insults?
Or both?


Those who laugh with you?
Those who laugh at you?
Or both?


Those who cry with you?
Those who make you cry?
Or both?


Those who treat your stuff like gold?
Those who thrash your stuff within the hour?
Or both?


Those who smile and agree with all your statements?
Those who frown and argue with all your statements?
Or both?


Those who know you so well they know when to leave you alone?
Those who know you so well they disturb you when you really don’t want it?
Or both?


Those who never whack you no matter how badly you annoy them?
Those who take every opportunity to whack you?
Or both?


The thing is, it takes a very close friend to do all the bad things to you and still expect you to remain their friend. Likewise, it takes a very close friend to take all the bad things you do to them and still unquestioningly remain your friend.


“The best of friends are characterised by their incredible ability to keep on arguing with each other, even more so than the worst of enemies.” ~ Brother Michael Broughton


Despite this, however, close friends always respect, support and love each other, and will show it however, wherever and whenever it is required or they want to.


Friendship. Paradox of the ages.


What a Friend is like

A friend comforts you before you even realise you’re sad.
A friend buys you food before you realise your wallet’s empty.
A friend stays up worrying about you before you realise you’re too troubled to sleep.
A friend asks you what’s wrong before you even realise you’re troubled.
A friend brings you to life before you realise you’re dying.


A friend is the lifeline thrown to the drowning.
A friend is the beam that supports the frail individual structure.
A friend is the best lawyer ever: totally willing to defend you for free.
A friend is the refill for the empty fountain pen of life.
A friend is the anti-virus for the corrupted hard disk of life.
A friend is the crutch for the crippled.
A friend is the fail-proof medication for any sort of trouble whatsoever.


A friend sacrifices time for you, even if you can’t fit a five-minute nap into his schedule.
A friend sacrifices money for you, even if she has nary a penny to her name.
A friend sacrifices reputation for you, even if no one knew his name to begin with.
A friend sacrifices food for you, even if her stomach growls in protest.
A friend sacrifices drink for you, even if his mouth is parched.
A friend sacrifices energy for you, even if she is near collapsing.
Friends sacrifice their lives for you, even if you never realise or asked for it.


A friend makes you feel like the saints of old have reincarnated.
A friend makes you feel that you’ll never ever be the only one on the road of life.
A friend makes you feel that you would probably never have been able to get to where you are now if not for him or her.
A friend makes you not want to be sad ever again because you don’t want them to cry on your behalf.
A friend makes you feel infinitely guilty because no matter how much you want to repay their good thoughts, words and actions, all they do is smile, politely refuse and say, “You’d do the same for me.” But then again, what if our chance never comes and we cannot do the same for them? Hence the guilt.


I’ve clearly been playing too much RPGs

Friendship is like fire – it warms the heart and soul, no matter how cold life is.
Friendship is like ice – it cools down the most destructive things.
Friendship is like lightning – it flows readily through all conductors, and forces itself through insulators.
Friendship is like water – it cannot break, no matter how hard you hit it.
Friendship is like earth – it stands firm through the greatest storm, unmovable.
Friendship is like wind – you can’t see it, but you can feel it.
Friendship is like darkness – secrets remain hidden in there.
Friendship is like light – it illuminates every nook and cranny of life.


Stole this poem from somewhere, I really like it though…

Friendship is a wonderful thing.
It’s every joy that life can bring.
A bit of hope, a heart so true,
So much another shares with you;
It’s courage when life brings a frown,
To lend a hand when you are down.
It’s loyalty and peace serene,
Remembering to share your dream,
A comforter when things go wrong,
A guiding light amidst the throng,
A faith, hope, a bright new day.
Friendship is a chosen way.


And I really hope I can live this out. I’ve been so blessed with a lot of wonderful friends, I just pray that I can bless them all back as much as they blessed me or even more.