Friends In Adversity

Material richness, a moment, and a dispute will have an end, but a friendship may overcome anything and last forever. Friends are those people who you can count on blindly, because you know that they would do anything for your benefit. A real friendship ignores pride and social pressure. It must be an unbreakable bond which not even disaster may overwhelm. And such is the friendship between Njal and Gunnar, for not even their families can make them distance from one another.

When Gunnar went to Njal for advice, he said: “I have many friends for whom it is fitting that I give good counsel, and yet I will take the greatest pains with you (p.37).” This words show how important Gunnar´s friendship is to him, it reflect how far Njal would go to help his friends. As he said it, people have many friends but not all friendships are equal. Some friendships are very superficial, while other run deep into trust and become almost as bonds between brothers. What wouldn’t you do for a brother who needs you? The same thing real friends feel for one another, because in a friendship the only interest will be the common good, and never is it as superficial as personal benefit.

Again a real friend emerges when Gunnar is in need of hay and food but no man wants to sell some to him. Njal learns about this and shares some of his. “Here is hay and food which I want to give you. I don’t want you ever to turn to anyone but me when you’re in need (p.80).” This act of generosity with Gunnar reflects how no matter the shortage there is, Njal is not willing to let his friend suffer as long as he can help it. When a person is in need, he first turns to people he has helped in the past to have a favor back, but if this doesn’t work, who else can he turn to other than his friends and family.

A friendship is a support; it is a helping hand that will never hesitate. I don’t quite remember who, but someone in history once said: “Adversity shows who your real friends are”. A good friendship is a real treasure that we should strive to maintain at all costs. This is the sad reality of people, who only show their true essence in times of trouble and shortage. But this is also the nice part about friendship, because a real friend in times of adversity is like rain in the dessert.