In this world, surviving means living. But surviving alone isn’t living at all, we need to survive while also living. I always, and will always believe that no man survives alone. As the maxim, ‘No man is an Island’ is still valid up until now, no one can really survive on his own. Because if one tries then that would be a lonely journey.
Having a friend or companion is better than being alone. A friend is a person who knows us a lot more than our own family, who understands and if not—tries to understand us, who does everything to protect and defend us, and the one who stands for us. Basically, a friend is a person that we like. The person we like to be with, we like to talk to, we like to share our secrets to, we like to have fun with, and a person we completely trust.
But sometimes our friend can be our greatest enemy too, and would turn to someone who can hurt us the most. Liking your friend doesn’t necessarily mean that they’ll like you back genuinely because not everyone that we considered friend is our friend.
I do have a lot of friends. Not only in social media, but in real life too. I may be friendly but I am very shy. That's why I sometimes wonder how I get along with my friends now. Sure, I am easy going but I really don’t know how to strike a conversation with a stranger without being awkward.
Maybe friendship is also like an instinct. A mutual feeling. Friendship is a relationship or strong bond between people who support and trust each other through life. Whom you share life challenges and experiences, and who you had your best interest at heart. However, friendship without reciprocity of trust, admiration, respect, and emotional support isn’t friendship at all.
Among everyone, I am one of the people who values friendship so much. A friendship with me should be for eternity and not just fleeting feelings. I would be the kind of friend who would gladly do stupid thing with you, who would be sweet and mean at the same time, who would wait and wouldn’t ask for more attention, who would not support your lovelife because I’ve got my own principles regarding relationship but still chooses to be happy for you, who wouldn’t just comfort you but avenge you, who would nag and get mad if you did something stupid to yourself. I am that kind of friend who would clap to your success and cry to your fall.
Because that is how a friendship should be. But then they say that there are many types of friends in this world, and I think I encountered—if not all—then most of them.
Childhood Friend.
These are the friends we got during our childhood. Childhood friends are precious since they are with you on how you view the world. Either it is a robotic world, a world full of bunnies, a dark and mean world, or a beautiful world.
I had such good memories in my childhood, and it is all thanks to my childhood friends. I remember playing all sorts of Filipino sports and games such as tumbang-preso, taguan, langit-lupa, slipper mannequin, luksong-baka, patintero, and many many more. I remember being very happy even after having a wound on my knees from running.
However, we all grow up. My childhood friends whom I thought of as my best friends seem to be strangers now. I sometimes envy people who are still with their childhood friends even after they grew up, but still I was thankful for those people for making my childhood memorable and fun.
Imaginary Friend.
Imaginary friends are the friends we get when we are alone. They vary in different forms such as dolls, bears, toy cars, toy guns, and so on. A child’s mind and imagination is such a wonder. They make those lifeless toys lively and amazing.
When I was a kid, I had two large dolls. They are almost as big as me so I did really have a nice time with them. I bath with them and sleep with them. When I couldn’t go out and play with my friends, I would play with my dolls. We do dress ups, tea parties, cooking, and many more. Annabelle the movie didn't exist yet so I don’t find them creepy, but now I don’t think I can play with them again since I am really a scared cat.
Meanwhile, true imaginary friends really exist for some people. They are someone who other people couldn’t see but others could. Filipinos are naturally superstitious so we believe in things like this.
High School Friend.
Your friends in high school could lead you in what you will be in the future. In this moment of our life, we met both good and bad friends throughout our whole high school journey. They are the friends that will give us so much influence in many things. We may discover a new door because of them, or we may also fall into a cage because of them. It is either way, so we must choose whom we will be our friends during these times. People say our friends define who we are. It is an expression since people on the same feathers flock together.
I’ve also gained many friends during high school. At our summer camp, I gained friends who also became my classmates. We eat and go home together. As we reached another level in high school, I gained more friends and was with another circle. Being in any circle is normal to me but it changed when I reached my fourth year in high school. I gained another friend and belonged in another circle again, and I thought I would change to another group of friends when I reached senior high school but surprisingly I was still with that same circle.
I realized then when my mother told me that high school is the best moment in our student life because we gain friends, and we gain friends for a lifetime.
College Friend.
Obviously, college friends are the friends you got in college. However, in my case, my high school friends are still my college buddies. Yes, I gained other friends in college but most of them are still my high school friends.
College friends are the people whom you consider as a companion in achieving your goal since you share the same goal, and that is to graduate. In order to reach that goal, cooperation is the only key. This is really the time when I got so many realizations, and one of those is that you can’t survive college on your own. Cooperating with your friends and group mates isn’t enough, you need to cooperate as a class.
Friend.
Do you still wonder how a ‘friend’ differs from other types of friends?
Well, a friend is the person you like. It can be a childhood friend, an imaginary friend, a high school friend, and a college buddy. Friend is the person whom you share interest with. You like the same thing, you gossip on the same thing, and you hate on the same thing. However, you still set barriers between yourself and them. They may be your friends but there are still some things that you couldn’t do with them, and there are still some things that you couldn’t tell them.
You are perfectly fine when they won’t always talk to you, and when you see each other on the streets you just simply nod or smile with them. You may be friends but not that close enough. Speaking of which, I have so many friends but it doesn’t directly mean that I am close to them.
Close Friend.
These are the friends who already come to your house many times, and whom you have good times with. Your close friends are your ‘Barkadas’, whom you have cut classes with, you got to a trip with, you got drunk with, whom you crashed a birthday party with, whom you will cheat an exam with, whom you allow to make fun of you without you getting offended, and whom you tell some of your secrets and problems with. They are the kind of circle whom you are comfortable to go with even when it is very late.
Best Friend.
Your best friends are someone whom you are most comfortable with. They are the people that you use as a parent’s bait so you can go on a trip or any ‘gala’ since they are the people that your parents trust among all of your friends.
They are the ones who have already gone to your house countless times that they already feel at home. They sometimes call your mother ‘Mama/Mommy/Tita’ and your father ‘Papa/Daddy/Tito’ without their consent and think of themselves as part of your family already. They are that thick-faced and so comfortable in you that they sometimes do hideous things right in your eyes.
Best friends are like that, I tell you since I’ve got three. People think highly of them but they don’t actually know the real things about them and they don’t see the things that I’ve seen. However, your best friend is like your living diary. They are the people who always got your back no matter what, whether you’re on the right or the wrong path. And when you fall, they are always there to pull you up right after laughing at you first. Best friends are like that, there are times that they are serious but most of the time there are nuts.
Secret Best Friend.
Not all, but I think some people—like me, have a secret best friend. They are the real diaries and not just a living diary. They contain all of your secrets that you couldn’t even dare to tell your best friends nor a single soul. They can also be your pets whom you fully trust all of your secrets with since you know they can never tell anyone.
I also have this secret best friend, my journal. I don’t write about my everyday activities there but I only write the things that I couldn’t share to anyone, not even to my best friends. The secrets that I will plan to keep forever.
It is true that no secrets will remain secrets forever. And keeping it all inside may just trigger it to go out at once. That is why I keep that secret best friend of mine, for the purpose of telling someone or something the things that I badly wanted the world to know but couldn’t dare to speak.
Enemy’s Enemy.
Then there comes your enemy’s enemy. An ally. Your enemy’s enemy is also your friend, since you hate the same person.
I remember having an enemy when I was in Grade 4. She’s mean and taller than me. I may be a hard-headed but not a trouble maker so I was just ignoring her. She likes to say mean things to me—to everyone she hates rather, that is why gained many enemies. And then one time our classroom sitting arrangement changed so she is then sitting behind me. Starting from then she would play with my hair which I really hate, and one day when there is a school fee that we need to pay I noticed that my money was lost. I was on the verge of crying that time and was very mad when one of our classmates pointed at her for stealing my money. It is also one of the kids that she bullied and she was seen stealing the money from my bag during recess.
Having your enemy’s enemy feels great since it seems like you had an ally for the same bad person. But then try to not have an enemy for your own peace of mind too. It feels greater that way.
Enemy itself.
Have you ever experienced friendship from hate?
I’ve experienced it already too. They say that the best friendship and the most trusted friend you’ve ever got is through unexpected friendship. A friendship forms from hate, and an enemy turns into a friend.
When I was in Grade 5, I had this girl classmate who was hated by my friends. Being in a circle means sharing the same goal so even if I don’t really hate her, I tried to hate her. Until it became a true hate since her group and my group have misunderstandings. Unfortunately, she’s also studying at the same school with me but some of my friends are in different schools and that also goes the same with her friends.
We gained different friends in high school and for some reason she messed with one of my friends and that makes us enemies again. The misunderstanding went on until we reached fourth year in high school. This time we aren’t classmates anymore but one of my close friends is her classmate and they became friends. And since my friend is her classmate and also became her friend, we always see each other and be together until we start to get along and laugh together and the next thing we know is we are already best friends.
It’s really funny when I recall everything from our Grade 5 memories up until now. My enemy before became my best friend and we treat each other like real siblings. I know it also happens to some people, and how playful destiny could get. An enemy can also be your most treasured friend.
Friendship is just like a romantic relationship. Both parties should feel mutual understanding to keep the relationship going. And if you want a beautiful relationship, either friendship or romance, then you should try your hardest to give respect and understand each other. Yes, nothing is perfect in this world. There is no perfect relationship, even perfect friendship. But just like a seed who needs air, rain, and sunlight to grow, friendship also needs trust, respect, and understanding to grow beautifully and to last longer.
"imaginary friend"