ON MAKING FRIENDS

    As a human being, one can hardly do without a friend. As the old saying goes, no man is an island. In other words, no one can survive without the help and friendship of others. And every sign points to the fact that life will become safer, happier and more interesting if one has friends to share his experiences with. In fact, life's main function, the reproduction and rearing of children, depends on one's ability to form long lasting and stable friendships with his/her closest friend -- wife or husband.

    How could a person know he has gained true friendship? Some people be lieve true friendship lies in similar interests while others think that opposites at tractive--the idea that two people with opposite characteristics can easily become friends. Whatever the comment, true friendship must be firmly based on trust and understanding. If a friendship can stand the test of a difficult experience and if one feels confident that, no matter what, his friend has his interest at heart, then he can be sure he has found true friendship.

    With different outlooks, individuals may have different principles in making friends. As far as I am concerned, I would be cautious to choose one as a friend and still cautiously make as many as I can. Once I have made a friend, I will trust him/her completely, talk over things with him/her regularly, keep his/her in terests at heart all the time, and give my friend a hand whenever needed.