How do you get food poisoning? We all have an answer to that, but do you know how we get friendship poisoning? Most of the people get it all the time. In the “online” world, it is difficult to have a genuine “offline” friendship. The minute you think you have a true friend, you get friendship poisoning. Most people get hurt by this but don’t realise it until the point of breakdown and cannot take it anymore. These are the good people who know what real friendship means and are ready to help their friends whenever they need it.

I have friends who remember me only when they need any help but are always unavailable when I need a little. I have friends who are really close to me when they need money. They know that I cannot say, “No.” I have suffered at the hands of my friends more than once. I always remind myself that there will be no one around when I am in need, and I have to be strong the next time. But I don’t know what happens when my so-called “friends” ask for help, I just melt.

The thing is kind-hearted people are the ones who get hurt most of the time. Today we need a friend with whom we can confide and share both happiness and sadness, but if friends are there only to take advantage of us, what use are they? Why do you think this happens? Why are some people happy to be the cause of friendship poisoning? Is it that difficult to be selfless at times? A true friend will always fight for you, be true to you, help you, protect you and just be there

for you. A word for kind-hearted people out there, if you feel that you are draining your energy by constantly giving only, then don’t you think it is time to let go? Preacher Charles Spurgoen said that ‘friendship is one of the sweetest joys of life’, but if it is becoming poison, then it is time you relinquish the grip you have maintained in that relationship.

Where do you think today’s world is heading? True value of friendship is being lost, and this affects a person with a pure heart physically and mentally. Technology has brought us closer, but are we really close? Can we say that something is disturbing your friend just by looking at his face rather than the facebook status?

Let’s take a moment from our busy schedule and realise that it is time to ask ourselves this question. Do I have friendship poisoning? If not, am I the reason for someone getting friendship poisoning? If it’s the latter, now is the time to cure that friend before it’s too late.