Friendship

By Siddharth Premnath for morning assembly on 1 Sep 2015 in DAV Public School, Pune.

The pleasures of friendship are exquisite,

How pleasant to go to a friend on a visit!

I go to my friend, we walk on the grass,

And the hours and moments like minutes pass.

This is how the British poet Stevie Smith describes Friendship in her poem “Pleasures of Friendships”.

Good morning, my dear Friends! I am Siddharth Premnath and let us celebrate the spirit of friendship today.

Friendship is, undoubtedly the greatest gifts you can ever get. It is a relationship of mutual trust and affection between two or more people. We trust our friends, we rely on them, we love them and we enjoy their company! Helen Keller’s quote captures this sentiment well. “I would rather walk with a friend in the dark, than alone in the light.”

Friendships come in different flavors, and are forged in different contexts. During childhood, friendship is based on the sharing of toys and from the enjoyment received from performing activities together. During adolescence, friends form your peer group and influence your thinking. Adulthood’s important life events such as marriage, parenthood and career development both forge friendships and also complicate old ones. During old age, as family responsibilities fade away, companionship and friendships become more and more important. In every stage of your life, your friends shape your life just as your family does. As Jess Scott has said, “Friends are the family you choose”.

Friendship has a way of keeping you happy, healthy, hopeful and honest! Studies have shown that friendships enhance an individual’s sense of happiness. Along with happiness comes, good health. Having the support of your friends’ gives you greater confidence and lets you venture out trusting that help is near by. And of course, good friends keep you honest. As George Herbert has said –“The best mirror is an old friend.”

Building strong friendships often requires your conscious efforts. In Aristotle’s words- “Wishing to be friends is quick work, but friendship is a slow ripening fruit.” You have to put efforts into building friendships and you cannot rush it! Once in a while, you might get into a fight or an argument with a good friend of yours. But remember, a true and good friendship is judged by how you OVERCOME these problems.

Dear Friends, I wish all of you many great friendships in your life! “A friend may be waiting behind a stranger’s face.” (Maya Angelou)

Thank you!