faithful friends are treasures
A true friend is good-natured, honest, trustworthy, unconditionally loving, and always does the right thing. His reputation means everything to them. A true friend is someone who will lift you up when you’re down and inspire you on your way to the best person you can be. Friends help you reach your goals and are willing to listen when you have a problem, even when they’d rather not. When you win and succeed they are genuinely happy to celebrate with you and when you lose they have a shoulder for you to lean on and cry on. That’s what a true friend is. A treasure!
Throughout my life I have been truly blessed to have several good friends. My mom, Romayne Leader Frank, taught me by example to be good-natured, honest, trustworthy, and to always do the right thing. Mom was my first role model, mentor, best friend, and teacher. She modeled for me the correct way to behave and treat others. She was the best person I have ever met. Mom was a lawyer who helped families who had lost everything to recover. Through her wise guidance, she would show them how to repair her finances. She was always willing to listen and help. As a friend, wife, mother, and attorney, she cared about helping others succeed in her goals, and she was always willing to help you find your way.
My friend Jean and I have been friends for over 20 years and have been there for each other through crises and celebrations. In 2006, I shared with her my research on how doctors used classical music to help patients recover from different illnesses and how classical music helped children be better students in school. She suggested that she share my research in a monthly article with parents, teachers, and friends. That was the beginning of “Madeline’s Monthly Article and Music Tips” in October 2006. The following year, when I started a radio show interviewing scientists, doctors, and others, she suggested guests for the show. This was the start of “Madeline’s One Minute Music Radio Show”. Friends help you expand your abilities so that you and others learn to grow and be better people.
Sometimes you learn the hard way who isn’t really your friend. Ray is a senior heating and air conditioning system repairman. His Jay asked her on her day off to fix his air conditioner. Ray’s father-in-law told Ray “that he needs to lose this friend.” He is right! It’s time for Ray to clean up his yard.
Monty is a CPA and his good friend Abel asks him on his day off to do his taxes for him. Is Abel a true friend? Of course not! Monty needs to find a new friend who will honor and protect him, not take advantage of him. It’s time for Monty to weed his garden too!
Those of you familiar with Shakespeare’s play “Othello” will remember the character Iago, pronounced “e-og-go.” Iago pretends to be a friend of his boss Othello, the Moor. Iago did not get the promotion he expected from Othello. and he is jealous of the love and happiness that Othello has with his beloved wife Desdemona. Iago decides to make Othello believe that his wife, Desdemona, is having an affair with another man. Iago goads Desdemona into destroying her marriage to Othello through her deceit and dishonesty.
We all have an Iago, a false friend, in our lives who is jealous of our success, our happy family, our life, our honesty, and our integrity. Don’t let this fake friend destroy your life and that of your family.
Jay, Abel and Iago are friends that you have to remove from your garden and find new honorable and trustworthy friends.
Dave Sheffield, the Shef, motivational speaker, author, coach, and friend said it best; know “when it’s time to love them from a distance”. He also said, “One thing I like to remember is that some people are in your life for a season and others are in your life for a reason.”
So how should you choose your friends? What are the 3 characteristics of a good friend?
1) A friend is honest, trustworthy, good-natured, and always does the right thing. His reputation means everything to them. When you have a problem, a friend will listen to you, even when he doesn’t want to, and help you make the right decision. He can trust them to guide him in the right direction.
2) A friend is someone who will lift you up when you’re down and inspire you on your way to the best person you can be. They have a shoulder for you to lean on and cry on when needed. They will also give you a hug when you are down and when something terrible happens, they will surround you, be by your side and protect you.
3) When you are winning and succeeding, your friends are really happy for you and celebrate with you.
Remember that when you choose your friends, make sure they are good-natured, honest, trustworthy, always choose to do the right thing, and are a positive person who encourages you to do the right thing to be the best person you can be. .
By choosing your friends wisely, you will have faithful friends that you will treasure for a lifetime.
