This old saying " A friend in need is a friend indeed" is both time tested and well proven. As per the "New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, 3rd Edition, 2002", explanation, the proverb means "A friend who helps out when we are in trouble is a true friend - unlike others who disappear when trouble arises". Meaning of the phrase is misunderstood sometimes as "a needy person becomes a friend to obtain help from others". According to listings of The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations the phrase exists since 11th century. Let's come to the point - Who is the true friend?

There is no dearth of friends in this world but finding a true friend is really difficult. Lot of people will boast that I have hundreds of friends but when he/she is in trouble how many of the them will extend a helpful hand. True friends always remains friend but opportunists are your friend only when you are physically, mentally and economically sound. Friends always keep changing. How many friends stay in touch with changes of place. You have friends in your primary school but when you leave and move to secondary school you forget these friends and make new friends. Likewise, when you leave school or college you move to join your work place you get new friends and forget old friends. Only few friends stay in touch with changing place and time. What does it show? In fact this is not friendship this is an arrangement to share things, to share work . However, sharing of responsibility in easy and stable manner changes in real friendship. Most of the time we make friends with some purpose. We do chatting on net, make several friends and mostly opposite sex. How long this friendship continues? There are very less chances that friendship on net may succeed. Exceptions are always there. However, when you make friendship without purpose and your liking and dislikings match each other, chances are that this friendship will last long. True friendship needs compromises, sacrifices and helping attitude towards each other. Sometime we becomes more demanding and always expect that a friend will always agree to your viewpoint but this is wrong attitude and you should never expect too much. When you become dependent on someone whether he is your friend actually you are demanding more than needed. However, friendship is other form of love. It is in no terms less than love. If you have true friendship you will love your friend more than any other thing in this world but this world is materialistic so first test and evaluate than go ahead with friendship. People are really lucky who find good friends.

Other popular proverbs about friendship

• A friend's frown is better than a fool's smile.
• A friend in need is a friend indeed.
• A friend is easier lost than found.
• A friend to everybody is a friend to nobody.
• A true friend is someone who reaches for your hand, but touches your heart.
• False friends are worse than open enemies.

• Old friends and old wine are best.
• The best of friends must part.

• There is no better looking-glass than an old friend.

Quotations about friendship:

1. A friend who is very near and dear may in time become as useless as a relative. -George Ade
2. Every man should have fair-sized cemetery is which to bury the faults of his friends. - H.W. Beecher
3. Friendship: a person whom we know well enough to borrow from but not well enough to lend to. Amberose Bierce
4. Most people enjoy the inferiority of their best friends. - Lord Chesterfield
5. Animals are such agreeble friends they ask no questions they pass no criticism. - George Eliot
6. There are three faithful friends - an old wife, an old dog and ready money. - Benjamin Franklin
7. I don't want my friend to die for me; if they will be polite, and let me alone, I will be satisfied. - E.W. Howe
8. The man who won't loan money isn't going to have many friends or need them. - Wilson Mizner
9. God gives us our relatives; thank God we can choose our friends. - E.W. Mumford
10. It is better to make friends fast than to make fast friends. - E.W. Mumford
11. If all men knew what each said of the other, there would not be four friends in this world. - Blaise Pascal