Power of Friendship
Two heads are better than one. Two hearts together are better than many, many hearts not connected. ‘’Two are better than one; for if one falls, the one will lift up the other; but woe to them that are alone when one falleth, for they have not another to help them.’’ Ecclesiastes 4:9-10
One of the most closely guarded secrets of the so called ‘elite’ is the power of powerful friends. The so called power people likely don’t possess the qualities of spiritual friendships, but do seem to recognize the tremendous power of connections. Working in the corporate world of New York right out of college from Oregon, I knew no one yet managed to work around others who had family ties, school, religion, and other social connections by hustling a little harder, and building a network of friends, although mainly not for business.
Many rich folks are bound by blood oaths and secret ceremonies that often include a few of the unsavory type as they begin to depend on each other for monetary gain. Putting competition for more income obsessively as a main life focus is not conducive to living with an open heart in a more spiritual way. Bonding into groups can make you stupid, and lessen one’s individual nature instead becoming more of a ‘group mind’ with forgetting who you are more. Certainly a downside of using the power of friendship in a negative way for more power often becomes a means for manipulation and control of others to their disadvantage.
Jesus is purported to have said, ‘love your enemies’. I say, ‘love your friends, it’ll help keep the others away’, but be vigilant and respectful of your enemies and negative types. Stay out of the company of those who lead lives that wouldn’t meet the mark of ‘godliness’, again with vigilance and a cautious openness for positive encounters with no expectations. Be in the mode of ‘hi and smile friends with everyone’, but spend your energy both finding the friend within, and cultivating those who would make the kind of positive friend you should have.
Friendships help the body’s auto immune system resist disease and all internal maladies. All bonds without friendships are shackle with little virtue in their maintenance. Other than a deep love with another or yourself, friendships are the truest and most perfect of all relationships.
