Columns

There are no friends; only moments of friendship.—from the journals of Jules Renard (1864—1910) 

Read in one way, this statement judges people untrustworthy, incapable of friendship except during fleeting moments. 

Or, on the contrary, the message may be that we should give up judging people, and, instead, concentrate on actions, ”moments of friendship,” specific acts of decency, support, integrity, morality. These acts—these moments of friendship—come to us all the time, sometimes from people we’ve known all our lives, sometimes from casual acquaintances, sometimes indirectly, from complete strangers. 

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