pico

"Friendship is a term used to denote co-operative and supportive behavior between two or more beings. In this sense, the term connotes a relationship which involves mutual knowledge, esteem, and affection and respect along with a degree of rendering service to friends in times of need or crisis. Friends will welcome each other's company and exhibit loyalty towards each other, often to the point of altruism."

"Altruism is selfless concern for the welfare of others."

Friendship is something i hold sacred. Its something i can best describe as a love relationship with somebody minus sex. I have lots of aquaintences, but only a small handful of friends.

To me friendship means complete devotion, care and love for somebody. A friend is somebody that to me can do no wrong. Somebody i will go completely out of my way for. To me, i dont even see anything as an obstacle when im doing something for the benefit of somebody. (i.e. i wouldnt see it as 'driving 200 miles' to help somebody, it's just 'ill be there soon' to me.)

Having said that, i expect the same respect from somebody i consider my friend. Just like a passionate relationship requires love and care from both parties, a friendship would be meaningless if only one was showing care.

When i lose somebody as a friend (its usually because of distance and life changing,) it's the greatest pain ever. Likened to getting out of a close relationship with somebody youve been intimate with for years, the pain from losing a friend is so great no physical pain can even come close to matching it. Its an emptiness that burns the soul like none other.

When i spill my heart and mind to somebody in an attempt to help and am completely blown off, it demonstrates a problem that urgently needs to be addressed.

It is unfortunate that there is evil amongst us that gets so jealous of a friendship that it purposely tries to sabotage a bond between two people, and whilst you might be thinking 'if its a strong friendship, it will survive' .. a person can be weak in the mind for whatever reason (depression is a good example) and can easily fall victim to the negative influences of somebody with mischief on thier minds.

This leads me to my last point; when an evil has so greatly affected somebody's judgment that they can no longer see reality for what it is and cannot be helped short of being physically restrained, there's only one thing left to do; severing the friendship. This has multiple effects, a) it demonstrates to that person that you are willing to endure the pain and anguish from losing them and they will hopefully wake them up from the trance and allow them to logically analyze the situation, and b) it will allow you to distance yourself from the ruin that is affecting them so you dont get drawn in as well. Some would call this abandonment .. i disagree, it is instead a sacrifice, and done of great desperation.

The bad influence can manifest itself in many ways, it can be a drug addiction that overcomes somebody's body and mind, or a person that so captivates somebodys heart and soul, or even somebody thats forced to live in a certain situation because to them the alternatives are even worse.