Del Rosario: Good company

Saturday, February 26, 2011

HOW often, as kids, have you heard the line, "Choose your friends carefully!"?

When we read the news articles about the millions of pesos that are received for "pabaon" and the cries for abolition of certain institutions, what came to my mind was the above line. Many of them got involved because of the company they kept, and might even have protected and encouraged one another as members of the same "brotherhood".

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Those instructions, when given to young children, can be quite difficult to follow. At that age, they can be more innocent and naïve. As they grow, their values get formed. Good and bad become more defined. However, peer pressure also becomes greater during high school and college days. Thus, it becomes a challenge to find and keep good company.

A healthy, supportive, and loving family environment is essential to keep us on the right path. Physical presence of parents makes a big positive difference. Being able to come home to a loving environment helps a lot.

I have been blessed with parents who provided me with the benefits of a supportive and love-filled family environment. Living together in one bedroom from childhood until after my college days, provided a good bonding atmosphere. I see more positive contributions that more than make up for the physical inconvenience of not having had the "luxury of privacy" during our childhood and adolescent years. Having living quarters above our parents' business where they could check on us and be with us at irregular hours, whenever they were needed, was a "privilege" and a blessing.

My Dearest Children,

"Choose your friends carefully!"

As I echo my parents' advice given decades ago, I know you will re-echo these words to your own children someday.

"Tell me who your friends are, and I will tell you who you are", and "birds of the same feather flock together", bear a lot of truth.

We are influenced by the people around us. In like manner, we influence others, too.

The habits of people you choose to hang around with soon become your habits.

It may be noble to want to help others become better by being their friends, but the sheer number of "friends" with undesirable habits can soon sway you to adopt and develop some undesirable traits or put you in unwanted or compromising situations, that could scar you for life.

Someone once told me that the best weapon against temptation is your feet. Use them not to kick, or defend yourself, but to run away. In like manner, do not stay with bad company, rather, run away from them.

1 Corinthians 15:33 says, " Do not be misled. Bad company corrupts good character."
Choose the group, organizations, and associations you want to be members of.

Even good-sounding and respectable associations that have members with bad traits can be a source of regret. Avoid them like the plague.

Finding good friends is like finding a treasure. Maintain and enhance relationships with good and worthy friends. They make you better persons. They are happy when you are happy, and are not envious of your positive growth and successes. Learn to know who your real friends are.

As they say, "You will know who your friends are in bad times!"