III. ON TRUE AND FALSE FRIENDSHIP

" Ponder for a long time whether you shall admit a given person to your friendship; but when you have decided to admit him, welcome him with all your heart and soul. Speak as boldly with him as with yourself."  - Seneca - Letters to Lucilius, Book 1 - III. On True and False Friendship

Today's reading, Day 3, was on the nature of friendship.I am blessed to have a number of true friends in my life.  Friends that I feel completely accepted with and for that I am truly grateful.

I find as I have become older that I am becoming more "Me".  Over the years I have gradually sloughed off traits that I would not allow to be public like dead skin cells in a shower.  As I was reading through the aspects of friendship I was struck with a thought that it is possible that the quality of my friends hasn't changed over the years but that I have changed. I have less pretenses, fewer aspects that are kept for private and not allowed to be seen in public. I have strived to wittle away those aspects that were uglier and of a drastic nature.  I think, much like a boulder in a stream, that time has rounded my edges and rubbed off the rougher aspects of my character and personality.  Maybe my high quality friendships are in fact a result of me striving to be a more authentic person on a daily basis?

I think that in the quality of friendship, as in all relationships, I need to continually strive to be an excellent human being.  With this challenge of excellence in all things in mind, I am able to strive to be the type of human that attracts the best in relationships of all kinds.  Relationships are reciprocal and we withdraw from the bank account only that which we have deposited ourselves.  Deposits of right action and feelings that have been amplified by both parties are available to both parties.  This relationship continues to grow and flourish with nurturing and attention.  Friendship cannot thrive in the dark or in rocky soil, it must be nurtured with light, truth, trust and true fidelity of companionship. I must continue to strive daily to be an excellent friend.