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We are social animals and therefore we need somebody faithful to share our joys and sorrows with. Having a best friend is one of the best gifts you can receive from God. God could not be present everywhere and therefore He made us potent to make a relationship like friendship.

We all need friends with whom we can share our happiness, sadness and other important aspects of life. Sharing our insecurities with friends gives us mental peace and a feeling of protection.

The noble idea of honouring friends has really caught on with youth, and Friendship Day is celebrated joyously, especially by students. Friendship Day is celebrated on the first Sunday of August. This year, it will be celebrated on August 4th.

The American essayist and poet, Ralph Waldo Emerson, said: “The glory of friendship is not the outstretched hand, not the kindly smile, nor the joy of companionship; it is the spiritual inspiration that comes to one when you discover that someone else believes in you and is willing to trust you with a friendship.”

A real friend is the one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out. They are the ones who understand us profoundly and remain with us for as long as we live. They do not need you to change; they accept you the way you are and listen to you whenever you need them. Your friend is the only person who does not feel jealous for your success and keeps motivating you for as long as you need them. This is the positive relation that brings forth in your life the zeal to be uniquely you. And this is what makes it worth celebrating this really significant day of Friendship Day.

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Motivational speaker Jim Rohn famously said that we are the average of the five people we spend the most time with. While it may sound like an exaggerated quote and lacks scientific validity, it helps to convey a very powerful idea that the people we surround ourselves with greatly influence our thoughts, behaviours, and ultimately shape who we become. Look at your closest friends and family who have made substantial contributions in shaping you. In some cases, you accomplished much more than you thought you were capable of because of their timely intervention. With a genuine desire that you shouldn’t fail in life, your closest friends and family didn’t allow you to follow your dream and they coerced you to follow easier goals. They do it out of love and concern for you and your dreams, aspirations and ambitions would never be accomplished because you were not allowed to pursue it for fear of failure.

As you begin this wonderful academic year, you may want to do some introspection and identify those people who have influence on you. Do they uplift and inspire you or do they bring you down? Have they limited you in some way? Or have they kept you in your comfort zone? When you look back you will know how strong was their influence on you and how your life has been shaped by their influence. Maybe it is a good time to make a resolution to associate more with people who will uplift and help you reach your fullest potential and make you the best version of you. And when you give more time to such people in your life, you’ll find that the negative people will have no more influence on you. Your decisions to say ‘No’ to gossiping, bunking classes, getting into infatuations, fights, quarrels, drugs and overuse of social media will distance you from such negative people. If you associate yourself with such friends, it’s likely that you will inherit such habits.

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A symphony of laughter shared,
In whispered secrets, deeply cared.
Through stormy weather or sunny day,
True friends stand strong, come what may.

With words unspoken, understanding flows,
A silent language, only true friends know.
In joy and sorrow, hand in hand,
A friendship built on love, eternally grand.

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When I needed you the most,
You were there;
Even if it seemed like you didn’t care.
When I didn’t think
I could make it another day,
You chased all my doubts away.
If I didn’t have you, what would I be?
A treasure is what you are to me.

The world is full of many people, it’s true;
But there is only one of you.
You fill my heart with love;
You’re a god-sent gift from above,
If I didn’t have you, what would I be?
An angel is what you are to me.

Lost and alone, I will no longer be;
Because you are here with me.
There is no reason to be sad;
You’ve taken away all the bad.
If I didn’t have you, what would I be?
A best friend is what you are to me!

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Through trials and triumphs, side by side,
With unwavering support, we stride.
In the canvas of life, colours blend
The guiding light, like a shining star.

Through distance and time, our souls align,
Bound by friendship’s sacred sign.
In the tapestry of memories, woven strong,
Forever enduring wherever we belong.

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The post Friendship appeared first on The Teenager Today.

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“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, Bible)

August is the month of celebrating friendships. You and your friends may have made plans to spend the day together, and some may have even bought friendship bands, too! Did you know that the concept of friendship bands dates back to the Stone Age when hunters and gatherers would exchange hand-made rings to symbolize a strong connection?

Friendship is all about strong connections and relationships. When friends come together as a unit, their strengths are amplified and they bring out the best in each other.

Just like us humans, foods too have ‘special friends’ which when combined not only improve the flavour of the meal, but also enhance nutrient absorption.

Food pairing/combining may seem like a new trend, but it’s actually an age-old tradition, practised from the time of our ancestors. Dal and Rice. Carrots with Peas. Peanut Butter and Jelly. Some combinations are simply better together!

How important is nutrient absorption?

Vitamins, minerals and other nutrients found in foods help in metabolic processes that are necessary for proper bodily functions. While maintaining a healthy diet is important, do we ever wonder what happens to the food once it reaches our stomachs? Food enters the stomach and is broken down by digestive enzymes. Waste is eliminated as it passes through, while nutrients are further absorbed in the small intestine.

Sadly, sometimes our gut doesn’t always function well. This may lead to poor absorption of nutrients and issues like exhaustion, mental fatigue, poor digestion, or skin disorders.

‘Food Besties’ that enhance nutrient absorption and are better together

Tomatoes and Olive Oil
It is an old Italian tradition to combine tomatoes with olive oil. Research reveals that when combined they boost each other’s health advantages. Lycopene, a potent antioxidant found in abundance in tomatoes, can help prevent conditions like cancer and heart disease. Lycopene is more easily absorbed when olive oil is used. E.g. home-made tomato-olive oil chutney.

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Did you know that friendships make you live a longer life? By “being a good friend”, you become kind, compassionate, understanding and adaptable. This improves all other relationships in your life too, making you happier and more gratified — all a recipe for longevity. Friends are not always easy people, mind you, but if you build on your social intelligence, you will be able to navigate your friendships to smoother waters and sense greater joy and satisfaction. Here are 5 hacks to better your friendships.

1. Engage

Friendships do not thrive passively. You shouldn’t just assume that once a friend, always a bestie. You cannot sit passively on the side of a road and expect that every passer-by will become your buddy without you even starting a conversation. Like all relationships, friendships need participative engagement. You need to “see” your friends; they’re not invisible entities who simply exist. Many a time we think, “She’s my friend, she will understand that I am busy” or that “He’s a good friend, he will know that I don’t like talking too much.” What does your friendship mean to you? In what way do you engage with your friends and “connect” with them?

Some friends meet at the local animal volunteering agency, others connect over dance, while several like meetups to try out new restaurants or art galleries. Or maybe just have a sleepover where you chat up and catch up. Figure their penchants and whether they match yours and try to build an overlap. The connectivity hormone oxytocin is released when you spend good time with someone you care for and it arouses feelings of closeness in living beings. For that, friends need to be physically as well as emotionally present with each other. Friendship isn’t about non-stop chatter and gossip, but when you become disengaged, the oxytocin connect gets completely lost. And so does the friendship eventually.

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