THE MAGIC OF FRIENDSHIP

friendship

In the journey of life, friendship weaves a thread of pure enchantment. Like stars that illuminate the darkest skies, friends brighten our days and fill our hearts with warmth. They are the keepers of our secrets, the sharers of our joys, and the pillars of support during life’s trials. Friendship, a timeless melody that knows no bounds, dances through the corridors of time, reminding us that in a world of constant change, true friendship remains an unwavering beacon of love and belonging. So, let us embark on a journey to unravel the wonders of friendship, where laughter echoes, tears are soothed, and hearts find solace in the embrace of cherished companions.

Friends come in all shapes and sizes

The friends we have and make may be someone we met as a child, a classmate at school, someone we met at work or through other friends. They may be friends who live at a distance in another country or virtual friends we’ve made online. Whoever they are, however we met them, there is a special connection based on a shared history and interests, enjoying doing things together or simply talking and understanding each other. Friends are there to help us at difficult times and to celebrate the good times. Doctors say that friends are very important for both our physical and mental health at all stages in life.

We live in a tough world. Between miscommunications, mistreatment, lack of trust, discrimination, and cultural discord, prioritising peace seemingly has less of a presence in the global society. There really is no reason for the world not to exist in some harmonious form.

Friendship and connections are synonymous with bonding, and building those common bonds goes beyond sharing a trait, characteristic, or favourite pastime with another person or group, but also includes promoting a global commitment and understanding of diversity and inclusion. Even in our differences, we can find common ground. Physical appearances, differences of opinions, political views, tastes, music, and more are not reasons to separate people. Friendship can also be important on a global level. Friendships that cross borders can help bring peace and avoid war. Learning to think of other people, people who are different from us, as our friends helps us work together to build a culture of peace.

Celebrating friendships through things as simple as a brief note, a coffee hangout, going to a concert, or taking a trip to the mall are all ways to find commonalities. Again, we have more in common than we all realise. And any idea that minimises the amount of hatred and disdain spread throughout the world is the kind we want to be shared. Relationships are bigger than that, and the UN works to promote kindness and togetherness every July. That’s why the UN declared 30 July as its official International Day of Friendship.

Origin of World Friendship Day

World Friendship Day, also known as International Day of Friendship takes place on 30th July.

The idea of a day to honour friendship was, however, adopted by a number of countries in Asia where it remained a popular custom to reserve a day for celebrating friendships and the exchange of gifts between friends. The first World Friendship Day was proposed for 30 July 1958 by the World Friendship Crusade, an international civil organisation that campaigns to foster a culture of peace through friendship. Many years later, in 2011, 30th July was declared as the International Day of Friendship by the General Assembly of United Nations.

With the growing popularity of social media throughout the world, there has been an increase in celebrating World Friendship Day and International Day of Friendship online as well as with community activities aimed at bringing those of different backgrounds together.

Why friendships matter:

* Friendship enhances emotional resilience: Sharing good times with people you love and having a network of friends to help you through those bad times makes it easier for you to navigate the ups and downs that life inevitably throws at us.

* Friendship boosts brainpower: The University of Michigan has found that hanging out with other people – even just for ten minutes – will improve your ability to solve problems and your brainpower.

* Friendship may improve sleep: Did you know that friendship even helps improve your Zzz (representation of sleeping). In a study, the University of Chicago found that people are more restless during sleep if they don’t socialise.

* Friendship makes people healthier: A study found that people without strong connections have higher abdominal obesity rates and increased blood pressure.

Famous friendship quotes

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. - Muhammad Ali

A friend is someone who gives you total freedom to be yourself - and specially to feel, or not feel. Whatever you happen to be feeling at any moment is fine with them. That’s what real love amounts to – letting a person be what he really is. - Jim Morrison

I think if I’ve learned anything about friendship, it’s to hang in, stay connected, fight for them, and let them fight for you. Don’t walk away, don’t be distracted, don’t be too busy or tired, don’t take them for granted. Friends are part of the glue that holds life and faith together. Powerful stuff. - John Katz

A friend is one that knows you as you are, understands where you have been, accepts what you have become, and still, gently allows you to grow. - William Shakespeare