HAPPY FRIENDSHIP DAY

HAPPY FRIENDSHIP DAY

Friendship Day takes place on the first Sunday of August every year. It is one day of the year we can say thank you to our friends. The tradition began in the USA in 1935 and has slowly spread around the world. The U.S. Congress declared Friendship Day as a national celebration. It still has a way to go before it is as popular as Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. On Friendship Day people spend time with their friends and exchange presents. Some people send cards, write special songs or bake friendship cakes. One great way to celebrate is to make a poster or create an album about your friend or friends. Perhaps include Winnie the Pooh on it because the United Nations made Pooh the world’s Ambassador of Friendship in 1997.

Friends are extremely important to us. They are often like members of our own family. In fact, many people spend more time with their friends than with their relatives. People also tell their friends more secrets. We start friendships almost from the  time we can walk. Everyone has special childhood friends, and some of these become lifelong friends. We usually meet out best friends early on in our life.  Best  friends usually stay best friends forever.  Nowadays the Internet has changed the way we make friends. Many people strike up friendships online.  The Web is also useful to  find long-lost friends. There are many sites to find old friends.

Following the popularity and success of Friendship Day in US, several other countries adopted the tradition of dedicating a day to friends. Today, Friendship Day is enthusiastically celebrated by several countries across the world including India.

Importance of Friendship in Bible
The Bible, the primary text of the western civilization, reflects upon friendship as the bond that forms the foundation to human faith, trust and companionship. Following verses from the bible aptly portray the importance of friends:

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”

Matthew 7:7

“Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends.” 

John 15:13-15.

Importance of Friendship in Mahabharata
In the famous Hindu epic ‘Mahabharata’, Lord Krishna demonstrates the many colors of friendship - affection, romance, brotherhood, protection, guidance, intimacy and even teasing. Friendship is all about these and much more.
Happy friendship day to all who visit this blog.( .^.) 4-8-2013