On Friendship

Friendship is about love, trust, forgiveness and understanding. It is about giving your all to another because you want them to succeed and be happy. The things you do for your friends must come from the heart, without expectations, or even gratitude. In other words, your intentions must be pure, and the love you give must be unconditional.
 

Sometimes these waters get a little muddy, and serious miscommunications and misunderstandings occur, creating enormous friction. That’s when tempers flare and things can get ugly. We all have expectations of others in all our relationships, no matter what kind of relationship it may be—platonic, romantic or simply professional.

Sometimes these expectations cloud our judgment of what another is capable or willing to give. The bottom line is that you must be sensitive toward other’s feelings, and not push too hard when they cannot take being pushed, or allow them space when they feel they are being crowded.

It’s a question of love. Love comes in so many forms, and often it becomes corrupted when we are not paying attention to what’s going on inside our heads and hearts, and the needs of the ones we care about most. It’s so easy to get wrapped up in your own personal problems, and take them out on people who are closest to you.

Friendship is about sharing. Sharing what’s in your heart and soul. Without a doubt there is a bit of risk involved, and people do get hurt, mostly not by callous actions, but by misunderstood expectations. We all have limitations, and the ones we love must learn to work with them and around them. This is how you build trust, and without it, there can be no friendship. And without friendship, there can be no love.

Love to all!

James M. Weil