Do you know who your true friends are?.

When problematic issues arise, those are the times we are able to differentiate between true friendship and false friendship or the real character of the persons we come into contact with everyday.

Rich and generous people are usually surrounded by 'friends', especially when there is some benefits to be gained. When there is cash, food or even crumbs to be distributed, almost anybody is a friend. At such times, even quiet good friends are thrown aside to enjoy the sweet words and nice nothings of people who are masters at praising and buttering up people.

However, should the rich and generous guy were to encounter a financial crisis, then, he is able to see who are the ones who still stick around to accompany him/her or see what they could do to help without having to be asked to do so. It is at such a time of adversity that he would possibly realise who his real friends are. Once there is no honey, the buzzing bees fly off, only friends remain.

Those who hold power are faced with such difficulties in knowing true friends. In politics, the situation is doubled sided. This is so because both the politician and his followers are possibly looking for personal benefits. the politician may appear to be a friend probably because he believes his followers can get people to vote for him. And if that is the main aim, not friendship; then when a follower cannot help to gain the number of votes required, that follower becomes redundant. The politician need no longer be extra nice to him.

Similarly, the follower of a political figure may be extraordinarily good to a politician because he/she hopes to gain something from the politician. In such cases it is obvious that the follower would desert the politician if the politician were to lose without any further hope of achieving any important position which could be used for some kind of gain. Thus, in politics, the thread of relationships is very fragile. Politics is a turbulent world where it is everyone for himself/herself.

In politics we have seen how so-called friends turn against each other to achieve their own selfish ends. We have also seen how so-called enemies can forget their differnces and work together to solidify their stand or position. Of course, if it is genuine, it is good that people can forget personal dislikes and work together for a nation.

So, how do you know who are your true friends so that you can appreciate them even better.