I’m tired of being ignored, deceived and hurt. This feeling can be felt more than it can be explained. I realised that I felt this way because of how the people around me made me feel.

I had to ask myself, am I spending time with the right person? Is it someone who supports in times of need, or is it someone who uses me when they need my help? Are they just publicly being my friend and things are very different in reality?

Such people are called ‘fake friends’! They talk behind our back, they talk negatively about us in public, break our trust and betray us. Some of them keep expressing their day-to-day life concerns and issues, expecting us to fix them and guide them, but whenever you look towards them for some comfort or help, they move away.

There are others who show us the negative pathway and discourage us whenever they get chance. Our so-called friends take our benefit and waste our time. These and many more are called fake friends.

But in my opinion, they should never be attributed as friends, whether fake or real. When you realise that you have uncaring and selfish people around you, limit your interaction with them. Someone rightly said, “You must learn who is gold and who is gold-plated.”

Some of us may have a close companion whom we call a ‘best friend.’ The reason they are called best friends is that they always make you smile and you feel comfortable in their presence. You call each other even when the slightest of mistakes happen, because a good companion can understand whenever you are sad and happy, and they will try to resolve whatever is bothering you.

Differentiating between a real and a fake companion is hard. But the one thing that differentiates a fake and real friend is ‘love.’ Observe how you value your friends and do they value you too?

We must remember and learn that a helpful, caring friend will always support us. Fake friends are everywhere and easy to find, but the real ones are hard to come by. It is by chance that we find good friends, and when you know you have got the best ones, cherish their presence in your life and ignore each other’s small mistakes.

It is okay to have different friends from time to time, whom you chat and hangout with. You can have a best friend in school, then another in your neighbourhood and another one can be your cousin. They all play their own role in your life.

You may feel you have a lot of friends, but as the years pass, you will learn to judge them better and know which friend took advantage of you. And as the years pass, you will realise that you had merely made a few friends. Having a small group of friends that care about you is way better than having a large group that does not care about you.

Our future depends on who we prefer to surround ourselves with. Life pulls us in ways we’d never expect. Sometimes, having a few friends or simply being alone is better than having a large group full of mistrust and selfishness. Your ‘fake friends’ are like your shadows. They follow you in the sunlight and disappear at night, yes, in times of need.

Remember to surround yourself with friends whom you know will never hurt you. If you can’t find one, then there is no harm in being alone yourself. This way you can teach others what being a good friend means.

Published in Dawn, Young World, April 30th, 2022