Friendship

Well this post is inspired by Juneli's post on Love. Well I read her post and was a bit thoughtful. Yes Love is an interesting emotion! Thinking a bit further I felt intrigued by 'Friendship'. One might call friendship a specific pattern of love but its all the more interesting behavior because usually in commonly seen love patterns there is some or other kind of reasoning or formality of relationship but friendship probably has the least. I think friendship is the most altruistic and selfless type of love between two individuals.
I liked what wikipedia has to say about friendship and thus I am simply copying and pasting it over here from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friendship
Friendship is a term used to denote co-operative and supportive behavior between two or more beings. This article focuses on the notion specific to interpersonal relationships. In this sense, the term connotes a relationship which involves mutual knowledge, esteem, and affection 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. Their tastes will usually be similar and may converge, and they will share enjoyable activities. They will also engage in mutually helping behavior, such as exchange of advice and the sharing of hardship. A friend is someone who may often demonstrate reciprocating and reflective behaviors. Yet for many, friendship is nothing more than the trust that someone or something will not harm them. Value that is found in friendships is often the result of a friend demonstrating the following on a consistent basis:
* the tendency to desire what is best for the other,
* sympathy and empathy,
* honesty, perhaps in situations where it may be difficult for others to speak the truth, especially in terms of pointing out the perceived faults of one's counterpart
* mutual understanding.

Actually I think it makes sense to have friendship in all relationships one has. I think it will strengthen your relationship, be it your parents, sibling, children or even spouse. Why! I would even say bring in friendship to workplace, hhhmmm.. , its very difficult to be 'friends' in workplace but at least try bringing camaraderie! If you are able to reduce the formality of relationship and bring in informal friendship in it, believe me, your world can be a much peaceful. I think two key points works for friendships, one is lowering of expectation and increase of acceptability. Would you expect your roommate friend to wake up early morning and cook for you? You would just curse a bit about the clutter he makes and get on with your things!

Well well, I pray my friends circle becomes as much as the globe!