“Don’t walk in front of me, I may not follow; don’t walk behind me, I may not lead; Just walk beside me, and be my friend”.
I have one such good friend who walks beside me and who extends his hand, when I am about to slip and fall. He is my greatest asset in life, which I treasure more than anything else in this world. He is my best friend.
My best friend is Tom Sangma. We come from the same neighbourhood. Our houses are situated close to each others. Both Tom and I are of same age and belong to more or less same economic background.
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In fact, what has cemented our friendship deep is that our families have been close to each other for a long time. My father and his father were classmates. My mother’s best friend is Tom’s mother. Another reason, which probably helped us to become good friends, is that we have grown together. We have spent our childhood days playing, fighting, learning, and enjoying together.
My memory of sweet bygone days of the past is a nostalgic memory of happy days spent together in Tom’s company. Today Tom and I study in Class X in a reputed school in the town. We generally go to school together and have been lucky enough to be studying in the same class for the past ten years and more.
Tom has many excellent qualities of heart and mind. His simplicity, smartness, neatness, intelligence, straightforwardness, cool temperament, pleasant behaviour, gentle ways, dutifulness, etc. have made him one of the most liked and popular students in the school. Tom’s sweet temperament is his greatest quality. He never hurts others or speaks ill of others. He has a charming personality. For several years consecutively, he has been given the ‘Best Student’ award in the school.
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Despite my best efforts I have never managed to reach his level. Yet I never feel jealous of him. Because he helps me more than anybody. He tries to do all he can to make me come up to his level. He never goes to any function or party or film without me. I do the same for him.
Whenever I am sick, he is the first to come and see me. There is no function in my home without his presence. The same is true in his house as well. All these have combined to make our friendship deep and lasting.
The best trait that I admire and like most in my friend is his disciplined life. He would not do anything that goes against accepted norms or decency. He gets up on time, does his homework always, attends school regularly, respects his teachers and elders and never indulges in unhealthy ways such as, smoking, taking alcohol, idling away time, skipping classes etc.
His principle of ‘duty first- enjoyment second’ is something that I find difficult to follow, yet try to imitate. He corrects me whenever I commit any mistake. For me he is a source of inspiration, support and also a role model to imitate.
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I am ever grateful to the almighty for having given me such a good friend. I cherish it as my greatest treasure. I am sure our friendship will grow deeper and deeper in the years to come. I wish everyone had such friends in life. One cannot describe the thrill and the joy of journeying together in life, sharing its ups and downs, rainbows and thunders and Good Fridays and Easters. It has to be experienced.