Welcome to the Inspirational Living Podcast.

Today's reading was edited and adapted from Invincible Power by John Henry Remmers, published in 1922.

It is a great pity that so many people fail to appreciate the strength, comfort, and happiness, which true friendship brings.

The more honest and optimistic our friends are, the less obstacles we find, and the easier

is the way of progress. Why most people fail to realize this fact is odd indeed.

There seems but one answer.

In the first place, all those living in opposition to the good and right

lack the wisdom to grasp this truth.

And in the second, by so living they have developed the personality

contrary to truth, faith, love, and order, and in their confusion, which is the inevitable

result, have lost faith in themselves and humankind in general.

Their suspicion and mistrust of people causes others to react in the same way toward them.

In short, they lack the essential qualities which are necessary to gain and retain the

friendship of people who are living on a higher plane of life.

There does exist between people who live dishonestly a sham form of friendship,

but observe how quickly it melts into the thin air,

and how these people betray and desert each other in a time of trial,

while on the other hand, a friendship between people of character grows stronger in the hour of trial.

These women and men, because of their high ideals, never entertain the selfish thoughts of the coward.

They stand loyally by each other to the end.

Any other form of friendship is but make-believe, a crude imitation of that which is genuine.

Just as the sunshine brings forth all the beauty, strength, and charm from the heart of nature,

...