Friends who Changed My Point of View or Before and Now

Maybe you will remember from my first article that I was wandering in the streets of London during Biology lesson and again the school bell brought me back to the reality depriving me from my sweet dream, from getting wet in the rain, etc. 

“What’s the next lesson?” I asked my classmates and the answer “Sociology” changed my mood. “So good”, I thought, “Ms Grigoryan will come just now and will conduct a lesson full of hot discussions”. 

To the “Hello, take your seats” followed the topic of the lesson “Friendship”. A topic about which I had a special point of view: there are no friends. As always Ms. Grigoryan began talking clearly and calmly. Oh, I forgot to mention that all these things happened two years ago when I was an 8th grade student. Till now I remember these words, “Ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle is distinguishing three kinds of friendship: friendships of pleasure, of utility, and of virtue”.  Well, it’s already clear the nature of each type. I raised my hand immediately and… 

“In our days there is no friendship”, said I with clear and indisputable voice. 

Of course, many were against. A few months passed. I saw an announcement of a project “The Key” for 10-12th grade students in the internet. Seemed an interesting project, but I was young, yet to leave for 8th grade. However, I filled in the application not telling anyone about that. It was my first application filling experience. After two days I forgot both about the project and the application. A month passed. It was another boring summer day when suddenly my phone rang. An unfamiliar number was calling, well, of course I was surprised; who may call me during summer holidays from an unfamiliar number? I took the phone and from the other side of the telephone I heard the following words, “It’s from the Jinishian Memorial Foundation. We would like to inform that you have been selected as a participant to the Key intellectual game-competition”. A year has passed from this moment, but I still remember these words, that voice… 

Well, well you will now get the connection between this call and the friendship lesson. 

The day came when I was to attend the first course. It was the first time I was participating in suchlike project. Of course I was excited.
 
Participants were 18 but who would think that two of them, Manan and Norayr, would become my best friends, that those two would make me change my point of view. Two became four, four… six and so on and today I can say confidently that there is  friendship based on virtue.  

And now if one asks me how you can define the ideal friendship, I can only mention names: Norayr, Manan, Anna, Astghik, Narek, Seryozha, Karine, Gayane and so on… 

Often people talk about the book of life, now one chapter of my life book is occupied by the Key project. The key that opened many doors for me especially the door of the friendship. Friendship door, no matter how strange it can sound but there is a door like this… 

Source: http://www.17.am/