友誼

 

       我喜歡看美國電視劇《老友記》，講的是紐約三對青年男女的愛情好生活。 看著他們一個個充滿戲劇性的情節，令人又捧腹大笑的同時又熱淚盈眶， 他們讓我思考朋友對我意味著什麽。

       年輕的時候，我認為朋友是願意花時間和你一起做任何事情的人，比如玩、聊天、學習，甚至做愚蠢的事。 也許前一天你們爭吵打鬧，第二天就和好如初了。 朋友不在乎你是否醜陋或無聊， 你們之間沒有秘密。 無論你做什麽，朋友都會原諒你。 朋友就是一切。

       長大後成熟了， 你會發現身邊的朋友都會改變。 有人留下來，有人離開了。 當有人離開時，我感到很難過。 後來明白了，朋友不僅僅是一個能和你一起笑的人，也是可以和你一起哭的人。 朋友是在你需要的時候為你挺身而出的人。 開始支持你的是朋友，離開的也未必不是，永遠的也許隻有你自己。

      現在我已年過半百了， 認識過很多人，也有很多人生經曆。 我的更成熟的觀點是，朋友還有可能會再次改變，每個人都有自己的生活。 人們的關係有時需要距離，尤其是友誼。 也許朋友不經常見麵或交談，但相聚時仍然相互理解，這才是成熟的友誼，尊重彼此的生活和看法， 甚至尊重之間的差異和距離。

       所以朋友是你身邊感到舒服的人，即使什麽都不做。 我學會了不要對朋友期望太高，也許這樣友誼才能長久。

 

       I like to watch the American TV show  “ Friends” where three young men and three young women live in the same apartment complex and face life and love in New York. I laughed and cried when I watched them. They made me think about what friends mean to me.

 

      When I was young I thought  a friend was someone who was happy to spend time with you doing anything, such as playing, talking, learning, even doing stupid errands. Maybe you fight with each other one day and reunite the next. A friend doesn’t care if you're ugly or boring. There is no secret between you. A friend forgives you no matter what you do. A friend is everything.

 

       When I grew up, I matured. I found that the friends around me changed eventually. Someone stayed, someone left. I felt sad when someone left. I understood later that a friend is more than someone who just laughs with you and someone who can cry with you. A friend should be the one to stand up for you when you need it.  A friend is supportive, but not every friend lasts forever. 

 

      Now that I am fifty, half of my life has passed already. I have known a lot of people and I have had so many life experiences. My more mature point of view is that my  friends may  change again. I realize that everyone has their own life. People’s relationships sometimes need distance, especially friendships. Maybe friends don’t see each other or talk together very often,  but they still understand each other when they do connect. My friendships have matured because my friends and I respect each other’s lives and opinions. We know we can always contact each other when we need it. A friend is for fun and for support.

 

      Finally, I know a friend is someone you like so much that you want to share  your interests and  your common values with each other. A friend is someone that you feel comfortable being around, even doing nothing at all. I have learned not to expect too much from friends and by being open my friendships have lasted longer.