There are friends and there are friends.

Kate the wife of my good friend.

It is good to know and be sure that you are surrounded by people you can call friends. Friends are such valuable beings and need to be treasured.

I do not know if I have shared the tale I am about to share some time in the past, this age thing and doing something different each day is a real test of memory. I suppose I should get my good friend to make me a spreadsheet of all the tales I have told and used. He does so enjoy his spreadsheets. I on the other hand can do spreadsheets but find the whole task something to avoid. 

Strange I should say that when only yesterday I was saying that while reading the book I am at present I should have a little spreadsheet to keep a note of the many wines recommended in the text. It was from a book by this very same author I discovered what must be my favourite red wine, Cahors, made from the Malbec grape.

I wander! let me get back to friends and those we call friends, and I suppose we have to mention the many "friends" we have on Facebook. 

A teacher was talking to her class about the very topic of friendship.

She produced three toys and asked the students to study them with care to see if they could find any differences. 

All three toys looked identical and the students told the teacher this.

She told them to look again this time much more closely. At last some of them began to notice there were little differences. After a while the students began to tell her that one of the toys had holes in its ears. 

Another student notice that another of the toys had a hole in one ear and one in its mouth. Then it was noticed that one toy had only a hole in its one ear. 

The teacher then said that it did not stop there. She produced a long needle.

When she pushed the needle into the ear of the first toy it passed right through and back out of the other ear. 

In the second toy the needle went into the ear and appeared out of the mouth.

In the third toy the needle went in but not matter how long they waited it did not appear coming back out. 

The teacher told them that the toys were very much like the people around us and ourselves. 

The first toy represents those who give the impression that they are listening to you with interest , and that they care about you. The trouble with them is that not long after you have left they have moved on and forgotten everything you have told them. It passes in one ear and out the other. Such people cannot be relied upon there depth of care and concern is shallow and meaningless. 

The second type of person will listen to you and give the impression that they care. But they are like the toy where the needle comes back out of the mouth. These people will listen to what you say and as soon as you have gone they will open their mouths and tell others. 

Such people we cannot depend on to keep our trust.

The third type of person are those who listen with concern. They take in what you are saying to them and it stays with them and they offer you support and help. These are the people you can rely on. 

Now before we jump to judgement of the people around us we have to remember for those around we are one of the people around them. 

What kind of person are we? 

It is wise to surround ourselves with those who are loyal and trustworthy, those we can count upon. it is of course equally important that we in turn nurture in ourselves the kind of friendship where people can look to us and depend on. 

True friendship is the golden nugget of life. 

Have a marvellous day and may it be a day surrounded by friends and those who bring joy to your day.