We usually say that it is very important to find a real friend, but it is difficult. Now in our society it seems that some people have a lot of friends. However, once their friends face difficulties¹, they may all run away. They may not give their friends any help. It is very sad for hearing it. What is true is that it is difficult to find real friends.

Most of us know the famous story. One day, two friends were walking in forest. A bear came to attack them. One of them climbed up a tree to escape, just after he said he would help his friend whenever he had trouble, only leaving his poor friend dumbfounded.

Do you want to make friends with the person like the man climbing up the tree? Do you want to have a friend hiding behind you when trouble or even danger is coming? Of course not! We need real friendship. But what is real friendship? What is the judgement for that? It means² that friends can help you when you face difficulties. They do not gather around you when you are plain sailing³. They will not leave you alone when you are in trouble. They intend to share both your happiness and sadness, espe-cially you sadness, whenever you need them. They may not give you any advice, or they may not solve any problems but they would like to listen to your story, or they will stay to calm you, to encourage you to stand up again and to help you go to the road to success. That is real friendship!

We all know the end of the story, the friend on the ground said a well-known saying: "A friend in need is a friend indeed."

指导教师：兀晓燕