Cultivating friendship is an art
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Cultivating friendship is an art. There is a saying, "Tell me your company and I will tell you what you are." Friends play a very important role in our life. When a drop of water is added to a can of milk it becomes milk and a drop of milk added to a can of water becomes water. When a leaf has a friendship with the wind it soars high but without a friend it falls to the ground and becomes one with the dust. The Panchatantra gives many examples where friends play an important role in shaping one's destiny.
The famous poet Rahim says that the troubles which come for a short time are good, because they show us who is our true friend. A good friend guides us on the right path and if we fail he helps us to have courage and wait for the good times to come. He shares our joys and sorrows. False friends and people who pretend to be friends tempt us to do things which lead to downfall.
It is said, "A friend in need is a friend indeed." When there is water in the pond many frogs stay around it. But when there is no water they abandon the place and go elsewhere. Similarly superficial friends stay with a person as long as he has money and position. During hardships few people continue their friendship and help.
So it is very important to choose the right friends in order to prosper in life.