Friend and Friendship

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Friend and Friendship Heart must understand heart, heart must be drawn to heart, if friendship must last. Friendship must bind two hearts and affect both of them beneficially, whatever may happen to either loss or gain, pain or pleasure, good fortune of bad. The bond must survive all the blows of fate and be unaffected by time, place and circumstances. Each must correct the other; and each must welcome criticism and comment from the other; for each know that they come from Sympathy and love. Each must be vigilant that the other does not slide from the ideal, cultivate habits that are deleterious or hide thoughts and plans that are productive of evil. The honour of each is in the safe keeping of the other. Each trusts the other and places reliance on the other's watchful love. Only those deserve the name - friends who help in uplifting life,

cleansing ideals, elevating emotions and strengthening resolves. Friendship is the expression of unshakable Love, Love that is noble, pure, free from desire or egoism. Do not cast your looks upon the face of a person who is unaffected by the sorrows of his friend merely to win some temporary gain, or to satisfy some urgent desire, or to plunge into some foul behaviour. Friends must have deep love towards each other; he who has no love filling his heart, moving his mind or lighting up his face can only be a bad undesirable "friend". The hearts of such false friends will be crooked and contaminated. ** Friendship based on altruism adopts the motto, love for all and malice towards none, keeping in view the well being of others overlooking personal interest. Such an attitude makes life enjoyable and helps also to set right the world. * -Swami Source: Sathya Sai Speaks .1973 - p. 258