I have a dear friend. Very close. I guess we all have. I catch up with him very often. We talk loads. Though, I will admit I am the one who speaks more. My friend is generally quiet. He likes to listen.

He understands me so well that I feel very comfortable with him. When I am in pain I open up to him and he gives me instant peace. When I am in two minds, I seek his help and almost always his advice proves correct. I cherish his friendship as he has never says no to me whenever I needed him.

When we meet he rarely starts a conversation. It is usually me who starts talking. Sometime I get frustrated with his restraint speaking and when I express my annoyance, he says he likes it this way. He says if I need his advice, he will willingly give it but otherwise he likes to listen and observe.

When I do something wrong he becomes sad. I can feel it. On certain occasions when I boast of what I did he gives me a cunning smile and I know he is not with me. When I try to justify my act and seek his approval, he gives me a smiling hard look but never speaks a word. In years of friendship I have understood this behavior of his. This is a signal to me that he is not approving me of my act and wants me check my motives. Often, in such situations, I have realized I was wrong.

Many times I myself know I am going in the wrong direction but I justify myself that it is required to stay in the race of life. During such time I ignore meeting my friend because I know he will never approve of it. Eventually, it doesn’t pay off well in medium to long run.

Over the years, I have realized that I must meet my friend regularly because he gives me strength. He prevents me from going in the wrong path. He silently questions me when I seek approval on unworthy things. At the same time, he never misses to give me a pat when I walk on the right lane.

I am lucky to find such a friend. I am what I am today because of this dear friend of mine. The name of my friend is ‘conscience’.

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