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ARE THEY MY FRIENDS OR BEST FRIENDS?
Nneamaka Madumelu
March 23, 2006
I have always wondered why people have BESTFRIEND(s) instead of just friends. Yeah!! You all heard me right. Why best friend (s) but not friend (s)? On the street, mall, and bus stop and even in class, this particular word “BESTFRIEND” keeps repeating itself as if the lecture of that day was on best friend.
I sleep imagining what can be used to differentiate these two words “ best friend (s) and friend(s)”. After a lot of thinking, all I can come up with is that for someone to be your best friend, there must be something special about that person while a friend can be someone you can meet any day. At this stage, you will be wondering why am so much emphasizing on this issue but the truth of the matter is that I have always been asked “ who is your best friend? and when I respond "I don’t have any" the person would think I am insane.
I believe that a friend is a friend and one shouldn’t be special. Do you understand my point? Well if you don’t, I am willing to put you through using my own experience. I will be examining four instances of some of my friends in Toronto.
Onyii: The name ' Onyinye' originated from Anambra state in southeastern part of Nigeria. She is a first year student in my university studying IDS (International Development Studies). in Fall 2005, I met Onyinye at the Nigerian Students’ Association office in my school, I am the secretary of the Association. Onyinye and I have a lot in common. She is intelligent, outgoing, straight forward and open minded. She is blunt and we normally say of her “ If you don’t like heat, don’t enter the kitchen”. She is a great friend. Someone I can rely on. So I consider her a true friend because she is not FWB (Friend With Benefit), Nigeria’s equivalent of (FFF) Friend For Food.
Stella: Stella is from Ghana who I met in my high school (secondary school). We have been friends since high school and even take the same courses with the same teacher till she left in grade 12 because she wanted to go to community college. We are still close even after high school graduation. We exchange movies both Nigerian and foreign. She is a true friend.
Linda: Linda is another person I call a friend. She is Ghanaian. We were in the same high school together, and same classes. We laughed literally about anything since we were both laughing jackass. She is nice and the one to do my hair for me anytime. She is smart and very helpful. I call her a friend.
Tracey: Tracey is Nigerian. I have known Tracey since 2001/2002. She is tall, intelligent, friendly and dun to be with. Although she attend a different university, we still have time once in a while to meet up and catch up from where we stopped. She is known to be a crazy girl because of her personality. She socializes well. Summer with Tracey is much fun because we get to see at least 5 to 6 times a week since we work together. She knows how to bug someone when she is in the mood and always laughing even about a slightest incident. I call her a friend
From all indications, everyone of these girls are so dear to me for one reason or the other because there is something unique about each one of them that attracted them to me. It would, therefore, not be appropriate for me to choose one person as my best friend.
Friendship is a special gift
given to us all.
The smile of a friend is sunlight on a cloudy day,
and every smile given to a friend is returned.
A friend is one whom you can talk to, and listen to, without judging.
A friend doesn't ignore your faults but accepts them as part of you.
A friend is a shoulder to lean on when you need support, A pat on the back when you do well, and a sympathetic ear when you fail.
A friend is a person you can laugh with about everything, you can cry with without shame, and whom you trust completely.
A friend is a partner in life and a part of you always and forever.
Till next time, have a blessed day.
Nne writing from Canada.
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