International Day Of Friendship

The 30th of July of every year is marked International Day of Friendship. This day was proclaimed in 2011 by the UN General Assembly with the idea that friendship between peoples, countries, cultures and individuals can inspire peace efforts and build bridges between communities. The resolution places particular emphasis on involving young people, as future leaders, in community activities that include different cultures and promote international understanding and respect for diversity.

Pause a moment and think about all the people you called friends some few years ago.Where are they now? What do they do?Were they true friends or acquaintances? Were they close or people that just came and left after a change of season in your life or you left after the weather changed. I look back at myself and ask who is a true friend?Who can I call a friend? Why should I keep a friend? How can I tell this friendship is meant to stay? As the good book says in proverbs some friends stick closer than brothers.

A friend is simply anyone that has your back in all situations. A friend feels your pain, rejoices with you, shares in your dreams, believes in you, prays for you, can vouch for you in whatever situation and knows what you will wear or even eat in particular moments and seasons. I have had many friends. Tall, short, slim, beautiful, smart, fat and so on and forth. In my primary school days I had a friend who I would always go to break with I don’t quite remember how the friendship ended. I remember I left the school to another school. In junior secondary school I had three special friends it appeared like we could never be separated. Then came Senior Secondary school where I completed with one other best friend.

I still got to the University Graduating with one best friend. I do ask myself what went wrong. Why do the friendships die and someway somehow I move on like nothing ever happened.What is there to friendship? How can one maintain good friendships? What must one look out for in a friend. Who qualifies to be called a friend? I am sure you may have also met a number of people you called friends. What happened to the friendship? Do you feel guilty that the friendship ended?

One can maintain a good friendship by been a friend. Do to your brother what you want to be done to you. Anyone who believes in your dreams, Does the very little things for you, shares in your happiness, feels your pain, Shares in your dreams ,Always listens to your little secrets and does not tell on you behind your back can be classified as a friend.In looking out for a friend be willing to be one. Always ensure that you sincerely and honestly want to be a friend to the person. Learn to place their interest before yours and be truthful in all your dealings.

No man is an island and there is no doubt that it is easy to share your deepest secrets with a friend rather than any member of the family. Everyone needs friends. Truefriends alwaysgive us a reality check.It is only our closest friends who can tell us that our breath is bad, that our new outfit is ridiculous, and very personal stuff about our lives. Because friends know us so well, they are able to see things that we can’t, and aren’t afraid to share their dose of reality with us. Having friends kills loneliness. Banding together with friends can help affect a social change. Many great businesses have been as a result of some great friendships.

Have you thought of the activity you can do with your best friend in that community around your corner that will bring smiles to the faces of the children? Well think about it now.

Just likeRalph Waldo Emerson puts it Friendship is simply “To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and to endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded."

Friendships change as your life changes. Sometimes a friend's life reflects our own, and hence makes it easier to stay friends for a long time. Other friendships may fade away for a while due to various reasons and resurface later on in life. You probably have had some friends that you enjoyed been with however they still left. Please don’t beat yourself about it the reality is that some people really are meant to be in our lives only a short time. Instead of feeling bad about a lost friendship always be positive and be grateful to God for the moments shared with your friend and always leave enough room to make new friends because people change.

The International Friendship day is intended to support the goals and objectives of the Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace and the International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for the Children of the World (2001-2010) .To mark the International Day of Friendship the UN encourages governments, international organizations and civil society groups to hold events, activities and initiatives that contribute to the efforts of the international community towards promoting a dialogue among civilizations, solidarity, mutual understanding and reconciliation

As today marks International friendship day take the time to reflect on all your true friends. How have you contributed in the death of that friendship and what can you do to make it better?Have you made any impact in your society, who will remember you when you are gone? You can take the time to invite a friend over for lunch, make a call, and Buylittle presents of appreciation. Just show your friends how important they are to you and how you honestly appreciate their friendship. Who knows, that little effort today can contribute greatly to a better Ghana. Remember that true friendship can promote peace and solidarity among people, cultures and nations and keep the spirit of friendship day all year through.

HAPPY FRIENDSHIP DAY