A friend in need...

... is a friend indeed.

I think we normally dont question our friendships or our friends - but what is a friend?How can friendship be defined?

For me a friend is someone you can feel comfortable, someone with whom there doesnt need to be a pretense, someone who you can have loud, insane fun with but can also sit quietly and enjoy the solitute. Sometimes different friends will occupy different needs and roles.

But the one thing that absolutely makes a friend in someone who is there for you when you need it - no matter what the need is; a cup of sugar, a shoulder to cry on, a lift, help of any kind... if they can provide it they do. No buts, no excuses.

A friend is never too busy in your time of need.

'A Muslim should love for his brother what he loves for himself' - thats the Islam I was brought up with. You do unto others as you would like done unto you - anything less is unsatisfactory, a copout.

High standards indeed. Maybe too high.

I have become increasingly cynical, jaded and bitter as my life has progressed - not people people can understand my concepts of trust and loyalty. They seem too alien, too rigid, too deep for this world, this society we occupy.

I am wary of the constant disappointments of people - trusting someone, a friend, is a big thing. the lesson life keeps teaching me is never to actually have high expecatations of anyone - no one is to be trusted.
Even those to be trusted can only be trusted to a certain degree.

Loyalty is not guaranteed. Even by family. Trust no one.

On one level this seems straighforward enough - its the lessons life has continuously taught me - I may finally be learning this lesson.

On the other hand, its so contrary to my actual personality. I am a natural optimist, fun-loving idealist - this is not me.

Except, now it kinda is.

Maybe its the enforced isolation of this course - trapped in a room studying constantly, no socialising - not even regular fone conversations.

Sometimes it doesnt feel like anyone is out there. Slowly, it seems to matter less and less....