Story 028a

Story 2028a: Am I Really a Good Friend?

Two students were discussing what it means to be a good friend.
One said, "I wonder if I am a good friend."
The other replied, "Good question! Let’s ask the wise Guru Practice."
The boys went to Guru Practice and asked together, "Sairam, Guru Ji, am I really a good friend?"
Guru Practice laughed and was pleased, as it was the first time he’d received such an important question. Guru Practice replied, "This is an excellent question to ask yourself. By asking this question, you begin to understand how good you already are and what you can still improve." "A good friend," he continued, "is someone who always wants their friends to do their best and make progress in all areas of life."
The boys asked curiously, "In which areas should we make progress, Guru Ji?"
Guru Practice answered, "In studying, in sports, in dance , in drama, in seva (selfless service), in being helpful—at home, at school, and everywhere you have the opportunity—in giving, in sharing, in forgiving, in talk soft and polite and so on. But the most important thing is... that everything you think, say, and do is connected to the values that your SSSSB Gurus teach you every week."
The boys looked at each other and said, "Guru Practice, our SSSSB Gurus—Meena Ma'am, Gita Ma'am, Kusumaa, Neerana Ma'am, Guru Daju, and all the other SSSSB Gurus—teach us so many values each week. Which of these values should we practice first?"
Guru Practice replied, "Begin with the teachings that you understand well and fully agree with. And one more thing: treat the teachings from your parents, elders, and teachers in the same way." The students thanked Guru Practice. They felt very grateful and happy, knowing now exactly what they needed to do.

Question of the Day: Shall we share real-life examples of experiences with our friends and how we deal with them that time?