This week's line of the week doesn't come from a famous columnist, author, or blogger but rather your classic "average guy" responding to the cover story for BusinessWeek about social networking. It asked the question "what's a friend worth [today]?" Put another way, how can we both profit & learn from our social conections. It appears that Utah's David Farnsworth was upset by the loose use of the word "friend" {& about this he & I can agree in principle]. Therefore he sent the magazine some feedback in the form of a George Washington quote. While the line clarifies the concept of friendship as it is most commonly known, it does something else. In today's parlance, it also speaks to the distinction between a longtime friend & someone you have recently "friended online." As our first president points out, the difference can be profound. According to Farnsworth, he said:
"...True friendship is a plant of slow growth, and must undergo and withstand the shocks of adversity before it is entitled to the appellation..."
I count myself truly fortunate to have a good many of these "plants," which is lucky for me because when it comes to the "potted" variety, I have a nearly indisputable "black thumb!"
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