One of the things that shouldn't be taken with levity is the peace of mind. That goes a long way in defining one's mental health and many people overlook this to be in people's good books. One thing I will never do is trade my peace of mind for anything. Indeed, a tree cannot make a forest, but at the same time, being conscious of who one's friends are saves lots of future regrets. We are in a generation where people believe so much in the power of having a large circle of friends. For what reason if I may ask? To have support when one is at their lowest but is it always the same at the end? To the best of my knowledge, the answer is no.
The larger the circle, the bigger the problem. There will be jealousy, envy, backbiting, and all forms of dubious and evil acts. People now want to keep a large circle of friends, wear matching clothes, go to parties, and showcase their lifestyles on social media, which is not a good idea for me. I take my life off social media because I want a peaceful life. I can't deal with hate comments which can affect my sanity. A small circle of friends reduces unnecessary pressure. Many people are going out of their way to get things because their friends have them and they don't. Recently, I saw a story of a young girl who was used for ritual purposes because she went out of her way to get what her friends had.
According to the story, her friends are using the latest iPhones with several expensive wigs. She felt pressured and desired to live like her friends, so she started selling her nudes to young boys who paid her until she met her doom. At the end, she couldn't live like her friends because she had been used. What was her gain? Let's say she was covetous, yet she was pressured because her friends were doing better than she was. During my childhood, I loved making friends, and my parents told me how my friends would follow me home from school but as I grew and became wiser, I realized that's the least of what I needed in my life if I want to be successful. Gradually I began letting go of the circles that are not profitable to my life. Many call it pride, but I know what I wanted for myself, and I know it won't be nice having so many friends, which would later result in trouble, and that's what I'm guiding against.
It seems weird the joy people derived from a large circle of friends. You can imagine your best friend having another best friend right in the same circle, that's how jealousy begins, and gradually it will get out of hand. Some say I choose not to have friends because of insecurity. Well, everyone has the right to think what they like; all that matters is that I chose to have just one friend for my peace of mind. My friend and I have been together for four years now and I've been enjoying zero pressure. She is so much like me, she doesn't go out, and automatically has nothing to pressure me about. We cut our clothes according to our size. I have no reason to run helter-skelter because my friend is wearing expensive wigs and I want to wear one too. We both live within our means which is a beautiful thing. To some, this might sound irrelevant and nonsensical, but it's just one of the best ways to live a peaceful life.
Thanks for your time and your comments will be appreciated.