Choice of Companions

Points: Influence of companions — Choice not always possible — Common bonds.

             A man is known by the company he keeps. We should be cautious, therefore, in choosing our friends. We cannot escape their influence for good or for evil, when they are most of the time around us. Upon the minds of young men, such influence is bound to be very strong.
             We cannot, however, always choose our company. At school or college or elsewhere in life, we are likely to come across people whom we may not like. We have to get on with such people as best as we can. Our best defence in any company is our own innate decency and dignity of character. Besides, we are likely to find in most places a few good souls who are refined and companionable.  We can form our own circle with such people. Those who are extremely selfish or self-centred cannot be good companions. Man is by nature social. That is why he hankers after friendship and company. But the company he chooses may determine his own character and Life-style.
             “Birds of a feather,” it is said, “flock together.” No doubt when people are of like taste and temperament, they naturally come close together. A hobby or common pursuit may serve as a common bond for a life-long friendship. But it is not necessary that friends should always share each other’s views or tastes or even the way of life. Rabindranath, for example, was a poet and Jagadish Chand a scientist — each the greatest of his kind— and both remained life-long friends.

Newspaper Reading

Points: Part of our daily routine — Our window to the world — Various services of the newspapers.

             There was a time — only a few centuries ago — when there was no newspaper in the world. But today, like our morning tea-cup the newspaper is a must. We are, in fact, very much news-hungry.
             A reader gets much more out of his daily paper than merely sensational stories. The newspaper brings the world to our door. We come to know of what is happening in Israel, in Iran, in South America and so on. The events of sports and games, the Test Matches and the Olympics — we read in newspapers. It is in the columns of newspaper that we can learn how our own country is faring. Important official announcements are also made public through the newspaper.
             Newspapers are also views papers. The editorials voice the feelings of the common people. The ‘Letters to the Editor’ column is a kind of public forum. Here all kinds of queries, comments and protests are made by the readers themselves. The ‘Wanted’ columns guide the reader to the job market. Even marriages are settled through the ‘Matrimonial’ columns. The newspaper is nothing but a printed mirror of the contemporary world. It is our every day’s historian.