By Brenda Lemuel Briggs


 

Friend 2.0 — Who Is Truly Your Friend?

In our last edition, we asked an important question: Who is your friend?

We came up with a definition:

A friend is someone with whom you share mutual benefits, someone who sees you, hears you, and someone you can be completely yourself with — without fear, judgment, or competition. That is a friend.

But let’s talk honestly.

Many stories have been told about friends — real ones, fake ones, and those who walk the line between both.

Some friends can be envious, and that’s the part no one prepares you for.

What’s truly strange — even sad — is when the envy comes from those who seemingly have more than you. They’re richer. They have better jobs. They have families, children, good marriages, thriving businesses — and yet, they envy you.

You may ask yourself:

Why? Why the jealousy? What exactly do I have that threatens them?

Here’s the truth:

It’s not always about what you have.

It’s about what you carry.

The spirit in you. The aura around you.

There’s something intangible about you that they see, feel, and perhaps desire — but do not understand. And because they can’t understand your contentment in the little you have, they can’t place it, and can’t replicate it, they turn to envy.

This is why you must be careful.

Not every “friend” is truly a friend.

You need to analyze every relationship in your life — even the ones that have lasted for years.

Take a moment.

Write down the names of people you call your friends.

Then ask yourself, truthfully:

Kindly drop your comments. Let’s talk, Let’s heal.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Accused — Not Guilty

By Brenda Lemuel Briggs
Image
  I’ve come to realize, in my few years on earth, that the accused are often innocent of the very things they are blamed for. In fact, they are usually the last to even know what their supposed “crime” is—if it can be called a crime at all. Many people inherit hatred toward others without ever knowing what the accused has truly done. Simply because a friend, family member, or colleague speaks negatively about someone—whether a brother, a sister, or even a stranger—they adopt that bitterness as their own. No chance is given for the accused to explain themselves or reveal who they really are. Why this happens still baffles me. Accusation—especially false accusation—cuts deeply because it attacks not only what you’ve done, but who you are. And yes, many times people inherit opinions and emotions that were never theirs to begin with. Hatred, suspicion, and bias can spread quickly—often with no evidence at all. This painful pattern happens for many reasons: ▪ People trust the ...
Read more

Why I Disappeared…The Truth I Couldn’t Share

By Brenda Lemuel Briggs
Image
Hello everyone, At the beginning of this year, when I said Happy New Year, I made a promise that I would be consistent, that I would share more stories, more articles but  life had a different story waiting for me. 2026 didn’t start the way I imagined. I stepped into the year full of hope, excitement, and expectations. I was certain this would be my year. Instead… it tried to break me. The first blow came financially. Instead of growth, I faced losses; huge losses, running into millions. It was painful. It was shocking. And honestly, it shook me deeply. But that was only the beginning. Then my health started to fail. At first, it was subtle, just a little weakness. Then it became something I could no longer ignore. I would speak and struggle to breathe at the same time. Ordinary conversations felt like a burden. I was constantly exhausted. Walking became difficult. My body felt heavy, unfamiliar… like it was no longer mine. There were moments I thought I would collapse. ...
Read more

CAN A SUCKLING MOTHER FORGET HER CHILD?

By Brenda Lemuel Briggs
Image
  Yes, a mother can reject and forget her child, and while it may sound shocking—real life shows us it happens more often than people admit. When a child is rejected from birth, especially over something like gender, the wound can run very deep. It’s not the child’s fault at all—the child never chose to be male or female. That rejection says more about the mother’s unhealed expectations, her cultural pressures, and maybe even her own disappointments in life. Here are a few takes on the matter: 1. Rejection is never about the child The child becomes the “mirror” of the parent’s frustrations, but the problem lies with the parent’s mindset, not the child’s existence. The pain belongs to the parent, but tragically, the child often carries the weight of it. 2. Cultural and societal pressures play a role In some cultures, a male child is considered more valuable. This can push a mother into bitterness when she births a girl, feeling she has failed her husband, her family, or society. But...
Read more