Prosperity brings Friends, Adversity tries Them

It is natural that prosperity should attract friendship, or at least the semblance of friendship. The friends of a prosperous man derive many obvious advantages from their connection with him. If their rich friend is hospitable, he invites all who have the privilege of knowing him to pleasant entertainments in his fine house and beautiful grounds. At these social gatherings a large number of agreeable and clever persons assemble, determined to do what they can to repay their host’s hospitality and secure for themselves future invitations by promoting the general cheerfulness.

The rich man has also many opportunities of conferring more material benefits on his friends. When they are poor, he can relieve their necessities by supplying them with money or helping them to obtain lucrative appointments. Also from a feeling of vanity most men take a great deal of pleasure in being seen frequently in the company of the rich and powerful. Thus there are many motives by which men are urged to cultivate the friendship of the prosperous.

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But when the rich man loses his wealth, or the powerful man is deprived of his power, all the friends, who were attracted only by considerations of self-interest, fall away. They did not love the man himself, but his riches, his hospitality, and the favours he could confer on those who pleased him. Therefore when, owing to a change of fortune, he loses the power of conferring benefits, and is himself in need of the help of others, they leave him and seek more profitable friendships.

By their conduct they show that they were not real friends, but only pretenders to the name.

The true friend is constant in evil as in good fortune, and remains faithful until death. Thus it is that friendship is tried by adversity, as gold is tried by fire: and it is one of the knowing that those who cultivate our friendship are not self-seekers, acting with an eye to their own advantage, but true friends who love us for ourselves. History and fiction give us many instances of friends tried by adversity, some of whom were found wanting in the hour of trial, while others showed their genuine worth.

In Shakespeare’s King Lear, Kent and the Fool are fine examples of faithful friendship rising superior to fortune, and in the former character the poet shows how a true friend can in adversity return good for the evil unjustly inflicted upon him by his powerful friend, before the hour of misfortune came upon him. We have the exact opposite of such a character as that of Shakespeare’s Kent in the famous Bacon. This great philosopher requited the kindness he had received from his friend and benefactor, the Earl of Essex, by attacking him in his hour of adversity, and even went so far as to blacken his memory after his death.

It is on account of this base desertion of his friend that he has been deservedly branded for all time as the “meanest of mankind. ” Aspire to Inspire Before You Expire To aspire simply means to have a yearning or desire to do something and strive to do it. An aspiring individual is ambitious, hopeful and enthusiastic. This is the kind of person you'd want as a team player in your business for he would keep spirits up and the momentum flowing. Inspire on the other hand refers to the spirit of encouragement as well as the ability to stimulate creative activity.

It is that internal spark needed to make things happen - basically to get off the sofa and get into action. An inspiring individual is uplifting, stimulating, exciting and motivates. This person can light the fire needed to begin the action. This is exactly what a coach does - lights a fire within their client to make changes. What is a coach? Simply a guide who ascertains a perspective outside the life "game" that the client is in the midst of.

As a player in the middle of the game it is hard to see all perspectives since that person is concentrating on their position and viewpoint. An outsider can often see the greater picture and offer new thoughts while encouraging and stimulating the individual into action. As individuals travel their life path they often find themselves in a place of feeling stuck. Perhaps they've been playing their life "game" for a while and are tired of the same playing field. Change is necessary but they can't see the big picture because they're still on the playing field.

Or maybe they simply want to do something more rewarding and different. Perhaps you've been in this place; maybe you are there right now. Inspiring someone to make changes and become "unstuck" so they can move in a new direction in their life is such a rewarding endeavor. Supporting an individual who needs to know someone cares can uplift both individuals to a place of inner satisfaction. As a wholeness coach, helping people see their potential and gain understanding that if they can imagine it they can do it

is the most fulfilling aspect of my life. Watching an individual make positive changes in their life and see the smile spread across their face once they "get it," does indeed make my heart soar. But we can take inspiration a step further and reference a deeper meaning. Inspiration can also refer to divine guidance. In this context it means breathe into or draw into the lungs as the breath of life. Inspiration here is the flow of a divine energy that enters one's thoughts and heart easily without any forethought or contemplation.

My books come in this way and I'm sure most authors would attest to this kind of inspiration while writing their works. In fact, I am routinely influenced with divine wisdom every day of my life and cannot imagine life without this guidance. An inspired life such as this leaves the ego outside of the equation for the most part. I believe that allowing yourself to become inspired and then sharing your thoughts, words and actions with others so that you inspire them in some way, is the ultimate fulfillment in this lifetime.

We each came here with a gift to share and our responsibility is to uncover it with inspired guidance, allowing inspiration to help it unfold, and then taking inspired action to do it. Inspired living is spirit-driven whereas a usual lifestyle is ego-driven. Perhaps you've been nudged to move forward in a new direction - change your vocation, write a book, take some training, open a new business - but you are hesitating because you doubt you have the time, resources or capabilities to do it, or you're simply in a state of fear about moving in this new direction.

You are most likely receiving divine inspiration and if you follow that guidance it will bring you amazing results that will include peacefulness and inner fulfillment. Maybe you've felt guided to help others in some way, to support, love, guide or encourage them on their journey. There is no joy greater than knowing you inspired someone into action. Many leave this planet with their music still inside them, and what a tragedy that is. Maybe all they needed was someone to inspire and stimulate them, to believe in them and help them see their potential.

What a gift that would be for that person to receive. And think how awesome it would be if you were the giver of that gift! So in summing up the meaning of the phrase aspire to inspire before you expire, it simply says to have the desire to arouse and positively influence an individual into action so that they fulfill their innermost desires before they die and leave this planet. And it also applies to you - allowing inspiration to flow through you so that you too experience an inspired life. As always, the choice is yours! Be the inspiration!