Tha Arabic word of a friend means ( Sadeq) and that’s mean the trustworthy and the person who tells you the truth and trust you. In Hebrew is chaverim it means the one who follows you and accompanies you. In Latin it has more than 16 meanings among them is the word advocator. In Greek isphilos, the word follows and fellowship derived from it.

Though there are many positive aspects of friendship there are several potential negative effects of having friendships that are not 100% genuine. You are no nearer to true friendship than if you choose them for commercial reason. Besides who are you that you should be setting a price upon your friendship?

 Friendships are the gift to the man kind. The relations which we get in this world are blood-related. But the only relationship which does not relate to blood is friendship. Friendship is the most wonderful relationship that anyone can have.

Human beings are in need of the friendship and company of others at all times of their lives from birth until death. The inherently social nature of human beings makes them obliged to live in a society with the company of people and to avail themselves of the assistance and support of friends. Thus a dear friend is one who never leaves you alone or feeling helpless in this world, because they are there for you under any circumstance, regardless of the sacrifices required

 A true friend is a person who offers all of their love and respect and will never leave or betray you. The definition of friends can be described as: “an intimate associate, reliable, one who is not an enemy or foe, an ally, etc” (Webster’s, pg. 540).

 Friendship has many forms and shapes. It is like water. If we pour the water into a jug it takes the shape of the jug. if you pour the same water into a bowl it takes the shape of the bowl. Same way friendships will take different shapes and sizes according to our heart.

Friendship is the most wonderful relationship that anyone can have. Ideally, a friend is a person who offers love and respect and will never leave or betray us.

The introduction and advancement of technology have provided us with many valuable tools and resources; however, it also has the capability of negatively influencing our younger generations.

It is our responsibility as parents to provide them with guidance and direction in choosing the correct technological learning tools, and managing the amount of time spent in front of video games.

 Although video games offer a broad array of opportunities for teaching and learning, there are equally as many games focused on violence and inappropriate behaviors. Children are easily influenced in today’s society through what they see and hear, making video games a prime resource for how they are influenced. Many of today’s video games, especially suitable for young boys, focus their attention on violent acts, and whether it be through weapons, verbal abuse, or fighting.

Young minds are easily molded through the violence in these games, leading them to believe that weapons and fighting are standard in today’s society.

Friends can tell harsh truths when they must be told. There are four different types of friends: True friends, Convenient friends, Special interest friends, and historical friends. To have a friendship is to have comfort. In times of crisis and depression, a friend is there to calm us and to help lift up our spirits.

 When you see a child laughing you will forget your sorrows for a second, same way when you are with a friend you forget your sorrows. Friendship, like the immortality of the soul, is too good to be believed.

 The first and perhaps most obvious negative effect of friendship is the risk of having ‘false’ or ‘bad’ friends. There are several signs of a potential bad friend including belittling your accomplishments, ignoring you and unhealthy competition between you and your friend.

There are many types of ‘bad friend’: the promise- breaker, The double-crosser, The self-absorbed, The discloser friend, The competitor, The judgmental, And the fault finder

 Having any one of these types of friends in your life can have a strong negative impact.

The second effect of having a bad friendship is the potential for peer pressure to occur. Peer pressure is caused by the social desire to fit in and be accepted by peers that force a person to change their personal habits and personality.The effect of this pressure, in turn, can cause a group mentality. Which then continues the cycle? What causes this pressure is the desire to define normalcy.

Proverbs 27:9 – Oil and perfume make the heart glad, So a man’s counsel is sweet to his friend.

This may have the effect of your friends pressuring you into actions that you would not normally engage in. These activities can range from trivial things like a change of hairstyle to more dangerous acts like drug use. Examples of activities that the influencing peer pressure party may want you to involve yourself in include:

* Encouraging you to gossip about your other friends.

1 Corinthians 15:33 -Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.”

* To gamble or spend money you don’t have.

* To make choices that will hurt you or your family. * To engage in illicit/illegal activities.* Drinking, smoking or taking drugs,* Changing your friends/partner because your current friends don’t like them, * Bullying others, * Skipping/skiving school, and many other negative influences. 

Remember that FRIEND = Fellowship, Respect, Integrity, Empathetic, Nonjudgmental, and Devotion. So be good to your friends and start working on improving your relationship to others.

Thank you for reading.

Steve Ramsey, Calgary – Alberta – Canada.