8 Fiona Famous

Fiona Famous was a very popular girlat school. She was clever and fun,and got on well with everyone. It was no accident that Fiona was so popular. From an early age she had made an effort to be kind and friendly to everyone. She invited the whole class to her birthday party, and from time to time she would give presents to everybody. She was such a busy girl, with so many friends, that she hardly got a chance to spend time with individual friends. However, she felt very lucky; no other girl had so many friends at school and in the neighbourhood.

But everything changed on National Friendship Day. On that day, at school, everyone was having a great time, drawing, painting, giving gifts. That day in class everyone had to make three presents to give to their three best friends. Fiona enjoyed the task of choosing three from amongst all the dozens of her friends.

However, when all the presents had been made and shared out among classmates, Fiona was the only one who had not received a present! She felt terrible, and spent hours crying. How could it be possible? So much effort to make so many friends, and in the end no one saw her as their best friend? Everyone came and tried to console her for a while.But each one only stayed for a short time before leaving.

This was exactly what Fiona had done so many times to others. She realised that she was a good companion and acquaintance, but she had not been a true friend to anyone. She had tried not to argue with anyone, she had tried to pay attention to everyone, but now she had found out that that was not enough to create true friendship.

When she got home that night, created quite a puddle with her tears, and Fiona asked her mother where she could find true friends.

“Fiona, my dear,” answered her mother, “you cannot buy friends with a smile or a few good words. If you really want true friends, you will have to give them real time and affection. For a true friend you must always be available, in good times and bad.”

“But I want to be everybody's friend! I need to share my time among everyone!” Fiona protested.

“My dear, you're a lovely girl,” said her mother, “but you can't be a close friend to everybody. There just isn't enough time to be available for everyone, so it's only possible to have a few true friends.The others will be playmates or acquaintances,but they won't be close friends.”

Hearing this, Fiona decided to change her ways so that she could finally have some true friends. That night, in bed, she thought about what she could do to get them. She thought about her mother. Her mother was always willing to help her, she put up with all of Fiona's dislikes and problems, she always forgave her, she loved her a great deal... That was what makes friends!

And Fiona smiled from ear to ear, realising that she already had the best friend anyone could ever want.