Muhammad Ali, arguably the greatest boxer of all time, said, "Friendship is the hardest thing in the world to explain. It’s not something you learn in school. But if you haven’t learned the meaning of friendship, you really haven’t learned anything."
I don’t know about you, but I totally agree with his statement. It makes a lot of sense to note that if you haven’t learned what friendship is, then you haven’t learned anything at all. For me, friendship is everything. Who you become is a result of the quality of people around you, or you can say, the quality of friends around you.
Bishop TD Jakes, one of the world’s most revered masterminds and dynamic preachers, struck me with his sermon titled “ 3 Types of Friends You Should Be Aware of”. I can’t lie, that sermon hit me real hard. It made me look at my life and ask vital questions like “Who are my real homies?”. “What kind of friend do I need?" If you haven’t really given it a thought, then I think you should. But before you do that, let’s take a look at the 3 types of friends you should be aware of.
#1 CONFIDANTS
source
There aren't many of them, but the ones you do have will always welcome you. Regardless of how you are feeling or whether you are doing something right or wrong, they are committed to you. Anything is perfectly fine to share with them.
These are the kinds of people you can open up to and share your darkest, deepest feelings with; they won't judge you and instead will encourage you rather than deplete you.
Trust me when I say you’re blessed if you do have a confidant in your life. Whenever they are around you, your energy goes up. They will support you through thick and thin. If need be, they will confront you and tell you the truth to your face. And to some extent, they care for you more than you do for them.
Why am I saying this? It’s because I have one in my life. And whenever I think of him, I just feel so blessed. Sometimes, they are not the richest people. They might not even have any material possessions, but what they possess inside of them is a million times more valuable than gold.
Let me be clear about this: there’s nothing you can do without them. If you must achieve your purpose in life, then you need a confidant. If you have ever seen the movie “The Lord of The Rings", then you know what I'm talking about. Every ‘Frodo’ needs a ‘Sam’.
#2 CONSTITUENTS
source
They are not for you, but they are into what you are for.They support what you support.They will be with you as long as you are for what they are for, but never assume they are for you.
They are only around you because of the benefits they can get, and if they meet someone else that will meet their agenda, they will hook up with them and leave you. If you’re not careful, you’ll mistake them for confidants, but the difference is that they don’t contribute anything meaningful to your life.
If you are in a relationship with them, then you better brace yourself up because they will leave you for someone else because of the benefits that person offers.
#3 COMRADES
image created by me
Have you heard of the ancient Sanskrit proverb that says, “The enemy of my enemy is my friend."? If you have, then we are referring to COMRADES.
These people are not for you or what you are for, either. They are only against what you are against. They will team up with you to fight a common and greater enemy. Then they turn against you as soon as the victory is accomplished. But, you shouldn’t be surprised when they leave. They were never meant to be in your life.
REALITY CHECK
image created by me
So, in a nutshell, if you have dreams, only share them with your confidants. No matter how ridiculous your dreams are, they’ll always tell you that you can achieve them. But not only that, they will help you achieve your dreams if you allow them.
But how can I find a confidant? You might ask. The only way to find a true friend is to be one.
So, which types of friends do you keep as company? Do you have any friends that fit into any of the three categories I just mentioned?
Let me know in the comments.Thanks guys, and have a nice day.