by Mike Hazelwood

Created on: December 09, 2008

"If we learn to appreciate more of what we already have, we will find ourselves having more to appreciate."

Michael Angier

A British newspaper once offered a prize for the best definition of a friend. There were thousands of entries.

Here are a few:

"One who multiplies joys, divides grief and whose honesty is inviolable."

"One who understands our silence."

"A volume of sympathy bound in cloth."

"A watch that beats true for all time and never runs down."

The winning definition read:

"A friend is the one who comes in when the whole world has gone out."

This was taken off of a website I found. I have been pondering a lot of things over the last few nights. Truly, I ask myself, "What is a true friend?"

I think the definition above really describes a true friend, "A friend is the one who comes in when the whole world has gone out." This has made me think; don't take your friendships for granted. We can share our lives with others and become stronger through any situation. A true friend will stick by your side even through the toughest of times.

We are all the masters of our own destiny, and the people who come into to our lives never leave us unchanged. Everyday we meet new people for the good and the bad, but those people who become our friends are put into our lives for a reason.

Life is a growing experience, and we can all glean and grow from the experiences of others.

Isn't it funny how our souls sometimes intertwine with others and their individual experiences leave us forever changed?

Through friendships we can share the knowledge we have gained through tough times. By taking that special someone under our wings in friendship we all can become stronger.

This reminds me of a story I heard before. The story is about a young tree. When the winds would blow the young tree would bend and not break against the troublesome wind. The tree through its experiences was growing taller and stronger even through those rough times it faced.

So become a friend and make someone stronger.

The winds in life can either make us bitter or better, and the way we share experiences in life is what breaks us or makes us.

Something to think about;

Doc Childre and Sara Paddison, HeartMath Discovery Program

Are there certain friends you turn to when you have a problem or need to be listened to? Think about this:

Are they compassionate, understanding and nurturing?

Are they totally present, giving you their undivided attention?

Do they try to solve your problems for you or do they help you to get clarity so that you can solve your own problems?

Do they let you talk until you're done?

Chances are the people you turn to for support and understanding are good listeners. You can develop these qualities as well and take them even deeper into "essence understanding" through mastering deep heart listening.

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