Bond that can’t be replaced

We live in times of “3 am friend”, “BFF — best friends forever/for now,” “gym buddy” and the likes. Regardless of the many names given, truth is, in this fast paced world we have no time to spend for family members, leave alone friendships.

“True friendship can exist only between equals,” said ancient Greek philosopher Plato.

Which is why your old school friend, becomes an acquaintance, and your business associate is your new friend!

This applies in all fields. Friendships are in categories! Casual friends, school friends, party friends, acquaintances, colleagues, fair weather friends and many more.  Read on.

Invest in friends
G. V. Prasad,
CEO of Dr. Reddy's Laboratories 
I  don’t think friendship has become superficial... not to me at least. I don't have too many friends, but the friendships I have are deep and lasting. I have many acquaintances, business associates and other relationships, but I don’t confuse them with friendship. I trust all my friends and never had difficulties maintaining those relationships. That being said, one cannot create friendships without mutual respect, shared values and common interests. One must invest in discovering the common aspects rather than the differences. When you have all these, the friendship builds naturally.

Through thick & thin
Neetu Kumari Prasad,
Commissioner, Panchayat Raj and Rural Employment
Smita Sabharwal, Secretary to Chief Minister; Dr. Christina Z.Chongthu, Commissioner, Tribal Welfare; and Priyanka Varghese, IFS OSD to Chief Minister, and I are close friends — we are there for each other in good and bad times. Distance does play a role in making the bond weaker — as spending much time together isn’t possible always. But if the people involved are mature and their love for each other is deep enough to survive the feeling of envy, inadequacy and insecurities which is brought out by inequality of their status; such friendship do survive.

Friends from Around The World
Jayadev Galla,
Politician and MD Amara Raja Group
Friendship is not based on one’s social status, profession, race, or class. I have grown up having a lot of friends from India and abroad as I stayed in India and the US for most part of my life. During my 50th birthday, which I cerebrated in Tokyo, for the first time I invited all my close friends from across the world. 75 friends turned up!

Even they didn’t know each other — the common thread was me! I do agree people that life has changed so much in this fast paced world that social media interactions have replaced real-life intimacy. But the same social media has made it easier for us to be in touch with friends from different parts of the world. I have a wide circle of friends — that includes acquaintances and my inner circle of friends who are intimate and beyond any social media. The relationship requires a lot of effort. It’s beyond money, experiences and positions. That’s how I cherish my friendship.