Friendship means a lot to me

Friendship is one of the things I appreciate most as a lady, or, should I say, as a human. I love it when bonds are created and preserved. Although many bonds fade along the way, the ones that survived through the thick and thin challenges that come with friendship are the real gems.

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I'm not the type that keeps a large circle of friends, though; most of those I call friends are just acquaintances. It takes a strong bond for me to build friendships with anyone, or, let me say, I've come to learn to choose wisely in terms of friendship.

I was once a naive girl who wanted to be friends with everybody, a girl who wanted to be in everyone's good book. It was unknown to me that there was much more to life than that. I learned my lesson when I was backstabbed by a friend who was supposed to watch my back. I was once an open-minded girl who showed everyone how much she cared without waiting for compliments, but I was taught that to live a peaceful life, you have to be kind-hearted with a touch of craziness.

THREE THINGS I'D LOVE TO TELL MY YOUNGER SELF OF SIXTEEN YEARS OLD

Trust is one of the factors that solidify friendship, but what if one's trust is taken for granted? Then what can be done? Indeed, there is more to life than we see. It's so disappointing that some don't know the value of friendship. Having someone in your life who cares so much about you or prioritizes you more than his or her needs is an uncommon blessing.

If I were to tell my younger self, who is sixteen years old, I would tell her, "Never let her weak side be known to the world." Because if this happens, that will be the beginning of her downfall. And this is what I'm saying from experience.

Also, I would love to tell her, "Never try to be in everyone's good book by taking up irrelevant responsibilities because she doesn't want others to feel bad." Friendship comes with sacrifices; yes, that's right, but never be foolish enough to dive into the ocean of responsibilities that aren't hers all because she wants to keep a friend.

And lastly, I would love to tell her to always be calm in choosing her friends; sometimes we need to pick out friends like beans to get rid of the stones that could spoil the beans when cooked for consumption. Never force yourself to be in anyone's life; those who want and cherish your friendship will stay.

It takes two like-minded people to be friends; if two friends don't have what is attached to them, such friendship is built on a shallow foundation, and like I said earlier, friendship should be cherished.

Many take advantage of friendship to carry out their selfish acts, and sometimes betrayal can cause more pain than expected. This is why I keep my circle so small, to avoid something we call "see finish" in Nigeria.

Thanks for your time, and your comments will be appreciated.