LadiesandGentlemen:Iamhonoredtobestandingheretodeliveraspeechentitled“Friendship”.
Thehero’smotherinthemovieForrestGumpsays,“Lifeisaboxofchocolates”.Iwouldsaythatlife,withfriendship,truefriendshipparticularly,issweetashoney.Itismoonlightcastonthetranquilityofalakeonamid-fallnight,enchantingtothesoul.Itismorningdewonrosepetals,pleasantandpleasingtothesenseofsight.Itiscosyfireonabitterlycoldwinternight,warmingtheheart.
ButasHelenFosterSnowremarks,“Friendshipisnocommonweedthatgrowsalongtheway.It’shighlycultivatedandwatereddaybyday.”Likeaninfant,itneedsconstantcare;likeayoungtree,itcannotbelefttothetendermerciesofsevereweather.Truefriendshipconsistsmorein“afriendinneed”togivetothan“afriendinneed”totakefrom.Atruefriendisapersonwhocanbeturnedto,whoisreadytolendalisteningear,whoiswillingtosharefeelings.
Friendshipshouldbemutual,otherwiseitwillbesubjecttowitheringlikeplantindrought.Likegenuinelove,truefriendshiphastobeatwowayexperience.Beittheformerorthelatter,ifoneexpectstobesolelyonthereceivingend,thens/hewillbetoooptimisticaboutit:itishopingagainsthopethatitwilllast.Loveorfriendshipofthiskindisdangerous,asitiscontaminatedbythedarkmatterinhumannature–selfishness.
Notinfrequentlydoesfriendshipneedtobecaredandtended,fosteredandnourished,sothatitwill“standateverycrossroad,sogoodandstrongandtrue”.
Thankyou!