A Friend In Need Is A Friend Indeed

It’s a common English proverb said but what does it really mean or imply? I always wondered as it never made much sense to me. Does it mean that only your friends who are in need or in trouble are your friends? If that is the case then it seems very selfish, because you would only get their problems and they would always want your help.

The truth is that most people interpret this proverb as in friends who help you when you are in need are your true friends. I find it a funny way of putting it though.

I decided to see where the origins of this was from and I found that it goes back to the 3rd century BC (http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/143400.html). Further the “Oxford Dictionary of Quotations” mentions that was existing in the English language from the 11th century. The earliest version was from Caxton's, 'Sonnes of Aymon', 1489: "It is sayd, that at the nede the frende is knowen."

On the web I also found out that they have a special day for it, which is the 15th of June and it’s called “A Friend in Need is a Friend Indeed Day” (http://www.rumela.com/events/friend_indeed_day.htm)

Lately however I was looking from it from the other perspective; that is the person in need. When your in trouble the fact that you should ask a certain friend instead of the others should also make the friend being asked honoured that they considered them to be a friend close enough to be entrusted with such a bounty of being of an assistance to someone they care about and that out of all the people they chose them to do it. It also on the other hand would make the friend think that if they were the one asked then when it’s their turn and they are the ones in trouble then they can call on that same person as they would consider them their true friend. Okay maybe I’m getting to philosophical here but it makes you think on which friend you would call or ask for help among your group of friends.

We all have various degrees of friends. Some I call the “fun friends”, who are the ones you have lot of fun with but are not necessarily close to or would share deep and personal things with. Then there are the other kinds which some call “best friend” which you would share secrets with and ask for their assistance. Whatever the case may be, in most situations, you reciprocate the gesture of assistance if you are in fact the “true friend”. Perhaps if you consider God as you’re “True Friend” then it would be the only exception.

Any thoughts on the matter?