The Courage To Stand Up For A Friend

In a world filled with uncertainties, trials, and tribulations, one thing remains constant; our unwavering support and commitment to protecting our loved ones. The importance of having good people around you cannot be overemphasized. One of the most important reasons why it is important to surround yourself with good, caring, and reasonable people is that they help you maintain sanity, considering the fact that this world is filled with ups and downs.

With my experiences with people, I have come to a realization that there are two sets of people in this world; those who come into our lives as rocket boosters and those who come to stay and make memories. The former is a temporary thing. Not everyone who walks into your life is meant to stay. Some people are like rocket boosters, they propel you to a particular position and then fall off. On the other hand, some friends are meant to stay in our lives no matter what we go through. Come what may, storm or rain, they remain with us. These people are the ones who deserve our unwavering support. The lengths good friends go to ensure our safety is a testament to the depth of love they have for us, and the extent they are willing to go to ensure our happiness.

One thing about me is that I find it very hard to allow people into my life. Of course, I have lots of friends, but I only allow a few people to come close to my heart and space. I know how far I can go to protect my loved ones, so I'm always careful who I allow into my life. In this post, I'll discuss the one time I went to great lengths to protect a loved one.

SONA

I remember the first time I saw Sona like it was yesterday. She was sitting alone, looking lost and tired. She looked very sad. I couldn’t help but notice the gloomy lines written all over her face. I felt drawn to her like I was being pulled in by some invisible force. Surprisingly, I stood up from where I was and sat down next to her and we started talking. “Are you fine? Why are you looking so sad?” I asked. She couldn’t find the right words. Somehow, words were trapped somehow in her mouth, unable to get out, so she just smiled. After about five minutes, I made her talk. It was like we had known each other forever, even though we had just met. She made me feel at ease and understood me in a way that was almost magical. I got her phone number and we started chatting when I got home. From that moment on, she was a part of my life.

One thing about Sona is that I can talk to her about anything. I find it difficult to tell people about my personal feelings, but with Sona, the words came out freely. She became my friend. A friend whom I’d protect no matter what.

THE EXPERIENCE THAT STRENGTHENED OUR FRIENDSHIP

This happened last semester (about 4 months ago.) My department hosted a contest with another department. To ensure the success of the contest, we selected a group of 10 people to help us run things. Sona was part of the admin team. They worked tirelessly to make sure everything went smoothly. Although I wasn't part of the team, Sona, the class governor, and others were. They were all putting in their best efforts until something unexpected happened.

One day at school, I heard loud voices coming from a classroom. I recognized the voices immediately - it was my class governor and the team members. Knowing that my friend, Sona, was part of the team , I decided to investigate. I couldn’t believe my eyes. I was at the doorstep when I saw them- they were in a heated argument all directed at Sona in the middle. She stood there, speechless, while others yelled at her. "This is unfair, Sona. We didn't expect this from you." With so many people talking at once, it was difficult for me to figure out who said so.

As soon as Sona noticed my presence, she rushed to me and stood by my side. It was obvious that she was scared and embarrassed. I looked into her eyes and held her hands tightly. "Shame on you!" I shouted at the others. They were angry that I butted in without fully understanding the situation. But I didn't care about the details of what she had done; they had no right to yell at her like that. They had no right to yell at my friend. Sona is fragile, and I would never stand to see her in such a situation. I had to do something. I just had to.

They explained that Sona had shared their secrets with the opposing team, sending them a copy of a Canva image intended to be used for the contest. “Sona? Nope, that’s unlike the Sona I know” I said to myself. I knew Sona wouldn't do something like that, so I defended her. I protected her as if she were my younger sister. Throughout the argument, I never let go of her hand. We were unable to resolve the conflict, so we had to involve the lecturer in charge of the contest.

As it turned out, Sona was innocent. It was merely a coincidence that the opposing team had created a similar Canva image. One by one, they all apologized to Sona for their accusations. I could see on her face that she was relieved and a little happy that I stood by her and protected her.

NOTE: IMAGES IN THIS POST ARE MINE.