The Most Abused Word Today - 'Friend'

One of the most abused words today is 'friend'.

The word carries such depth. It carries such responsibility. Yet somewhere along the way, its meaning seems to have become diluted.

In India, we have words like dost and mitra. These are not merely labels for someone we know. They signify a bond. A connection. A commitment.

A friend is not someone who is there for you only when it is convenient. A friend is someone who leaves everything aside and stands beside you when you need them. A friend does not measure the relationship in terms of gain and loss. The relationship itself becomes more important than the circumstances.

Unfortunately, today the word friend has been reduced to terms like mutual friend, Facebook friend, Instagram friend, office friend, or online friend. The word is being used more frequently than ever before, but perhaps understood less than ever before.

True friendship demands trust.

It reminds me of that beautiful scene from Munna Bhai MBBS where Circuit says, "Bhai bola dikhta hai toh dikhta hai."

It is not blind flattery. It is not the absence of intelligence. It is not surrendering your ability to think.

It is trust.

It is believing in your friend completely. It is having faith in their intention even when the whole world may be questioning them.

Such friendships are becoming rare.

And even rarer is finding that same friendship being reciprocated from the other side.

When I think of friendship, I am reminded of the friendship between Krishna and Sudama. One was a king and the other lived in poverty, yet neither status nor circumstance came between them. Their friendship was untouched by worldly definitions.

A true friend does not care what you have become in life. A true friend cares that you are there.

With a friend, you do not need to be someone else.

You do not need a title.

You do not need a position.

You do not need an image.

You are simply yourself.

And that is enough.

Perhaps that is why friendship is one of the most beautiful gifts in the world.

If you truly have a friend who can leave everything aside and stand by you when life demands it, then consider yourself fortunate.

Very fortunate.