Category: Friends

Gratitude implies thankfulness or an appreciation of benefits conferred together with a desire, when practicable, to return those benefits.It should be distinguished from thanks, which is too often a matter of words, and not accompanied by a feeling of thankfulness or by those actions which indicate a grateful mind. The grateful man feels joy at the kindness of his benefactor and cultivates a respect that is akin to love.In almost all the relations of ordinary life the feelings of gratitude should be aroused. The child owes thanks to his parents for food, clothes, education and tender care; the scholar to his teachers for the training of his intelligence; personal friends to one another for mutual services. ADVERTISEMENTS: The frequent use of the phrase, “Thank you,” though often not more than…

It has been said that a man is known by the company he keeps. If he is constantly seen with men who are considered frivolous and idle, others will look upon him also as frivolous and idle, and with good reason.The serious, hardworking man, with a definite aim in life, has little time to spare for frivolity, nor can he have much sympathy or admiration for those who fritter away their lives in senseless pleasures. ADVERTISEMENTS: No one expects to find a reli­gious man constantly associating with and taking delight in the company of those who scoff at religion. Their views, on a subject which to him is sacred and all-important, must be extremely galling; their sneers, their ribald jokes and sinful ways must con­stantly wound.On so many occasions he…

So many books on Memory Cultivation litter the book-shops nowadays that I have sometimes thought of writing one on the now almost forgotten art of Forgetting. Strangely enough, people who cheerfully admit that they have no memory will look at you askance if you so much as breathe a word about their lack of judgment.For can we remember all the things that have come within the gamut of our learning and experience? Decidedly not. We know from hard experience how soon we forget the things we learned for our examinations. ADVERTISEMENTS: The normal, ordinary man forgets things often; luckily for him and his sanity. The man who tries to remember things always is unfortunate; that may drive him mad.Now the art of forgetting is a blessing in disguise. Take the…

Politeness has been well defined as benevolence in trifles. Like benevolence on a larger scale, it includes a feeling in the mind as well as the performance of those outward actions by which that feeling is manifested. The internal feeling, which is an essential part of true politeness, is the same all over the world, however much its manifestations may differ.It is the desire to put those whom we meet perfectly at their ease, and save them from every kind of petty discomfort and annoyance. Benevolence in its ordinary sense implies love of our fellow-men and a desire to do all we can to promote their permanent happiness.The limited part of benevolence called politeness requires only an inclination to make them happy temporarily, while they are in our presence, and…

Essay on the Theories of Socialisation – (a) C.H. Cooley’s Theory of ‘Looking-Glass Self’: The ‘self’ might be regarded as the internalised object representing one’s own personality.Where does this self arise? Are we born with it? Is it something we have to learn to recognise and to know? Is it something that the individual brings with him as we confront society? Or is it some­thing that he receives from society as a gift of the confrontation? A brilliant American social psy­chologist Charles Horton Cooley made some sustained attempts to find answers to these questions.C.H. Cooley has placed before us two primary propositions – (i) The mind is social, and (ii) Society is mental. Of the two, the first one has impressed a good number of sociologists. He wrote in his…

We are told in one of Esop’s fables how the hare and the tortoise once agreed to run a race against each other. The swift- footed hare ridiculed as preposterous the idea that he could possibly be beaten by his opponent. At the beginning of the race he started off at a great speed and soon left the tortoise far behind.Presently, looking round and finding that his adversary was out of sight, he thought he might as well lie down and have a sleep, and did so. Meanwhile the tortoise had been plodding steadily on. After a long time he came up to the place where the hare was sleeping, and went on past his adversary until he was near the goal. ADVERTISEMENTS: At this point the hare, waking up,…

Thrift consists in the frugal and judicious use of money. The excellent effects of this form of prudence are generally recognised, but nevertheless many are led away by the various motives that lead to extravagance.One of the commonest of these motives is the vanity which makes people desirous of appearing in the eyes of the world to be richer than they really are. Another is love of luxury in food, dress, wines, horses, and carriages. Sometimes love of art is an incentive to ruinous expenditure on pictures, statues, or beautiful furniture. ADVERTISEMENTS: In other cases we find men led astray by habits of mind which, if exercised with moderation in their proper sphere, would be virtues. Some men from weakness of mind or an excess of liberality, are unable to…

Social networking is the rage of this age. Social networks are formed when people sharing certain interests including hobbies, religion, politics, etc., coalesce into groups or communities. In modern times it refers more to online communities because this is where most social networks tend to exist. To facilitate such social networking, there are many websites. These social networking sites include Face book, MySpace, Orkut, Twitter, Fropper, etc. Such sites help people to keep in touch with each other and also connect with long lost friends from school and college. Though it began as a craze among the youth, people of all generations have caught the fad now. Membership can only be gained through existing members who will admit you into the circle as their friend. People can upload photos and…

It was the month of April when I happened to visit my village. As I entered the village it presented a charming scene and all the fields were laden with ripe golden crops.It was a joyful endless sight. As far as the eyes could go, I could see standing tall plants with ripe grain and I was enchanted by the whole outlook of the village. I decided that I will visit the fields tomorrow morning. ADVERTISEMENTS: Early next morning I went to the fields and I found how people were busy reaping and mowing the fields. Several groups of farmers were working with their relatives and friends.These groups entered the fields with their scythes very early in the morning and went on mowing the crops all in a line. I…

After I had passed the High School Examination and secured a first division, it was decided that I should go to the town for my further studies. Throughout my boyhood, I had possessed a smouldering desire to go out in the world and live on my own.I had always felt a keen passion for higher studies. Now the ambition of my life had been granted. I was to go to the town and stay in a college. But I do not know what happened to me when I was leaving my home. As I entered the carriage I felt most reluctant and melancholy.It appeared to me that I would not be able to live with strangers away from the protection of my parents and the company of friends. I thought…