Friendship and fellowship are as vital as the air we breathe; folk are not designed to exist in complete isolation. That the craving to connect and belong is a soul-deep yearning, is amply demonstrated by the popularity of facilitators ranging from dating agencies, advertisements and venues to Facebook, Friends Reunited and Twitter, via fora (forums), interest groups, clubs and societies. Still, friendship and fellowship are multi-faceted commodities.
How empowering to engage in an emotionally healthy relationship, rich in interest, trust and vitality. How wonderful and yet, how rare.
Thoughtfulness, selflessness and kindness are not as common as petals, nor so easily acquired or developed. Still, they are at the heart of successful interaction. Know yourself and prepare yourself. Develop your character through honest endeavour – it’s never too late to practise ethics – and be the inner life that you would like to meet. When your inner healthiness attracts others, be careful. The world is full of leeches and a healthy person can only service a few! Instead, learn to recognise other healthy characters and proceed with caution.
Remember, all that glisters is not gold, and networking is neither fellowship nor friendship.
Invest your time, talent and effort wisely and well; then, enjoy the fruits of your labour. But, don’t sit back and neglect your achievement. Relationships are living, breathing, unique entities requiring maintenance. Review and reflect regularly. Check for signs of growth, health and vitality. Crucially, know when fellowship and friendship are dead and dying. Know, accept, bury, grieve – and move on. Know, grow and go.
