Professor Latif and Shy

UPADM-GP 260
Integration paper 8
10/31/2022
Integration Paper #8

The section of the Kate Johnson interview that most resonated with me was the spiritual

value of friendship. It doesn’t really matter how long or how much experience you’ve had with a

friend, but it’s the spiritual connection that matters. In friendship, I tend to seek certain qualities

and similarities from people. Oftentimes, I find that it is easy to discover at an early phase of

getting to know someone whether you’re going to become close to each other in the future or

not. The most meaningful friendships are the ones that can grow and bring out the best in each

other. As we enter college, I’ve realized that the older we get, the harder or rarer it is to find the

pure kind of friendship where both sides truly want the best for each other. When discussing or

sharing certain achievements and milestones in life, it is easy to discern bitterness or jealousy

and genuine happiness in the way others talk. While this is understandably a part of human

nature, it is not a quality I look for in friends. To be able to be there for one another, and

genuinely support and feel happy for the other person shows genuine and authentic care for the

other person, which is the foundation of trust to me. As I am able to do so for my friends, I

expect the same from them, as this is a key step to foster true development. To me, friendship is

not something to be used, there is no need to make use of or benefit from each other, it is simply

the presence of the other person being there for you, and the process of growing together that

matters. Growing out of friendships as a necessary yet painful part of growing up that every

individual will experience in their lifetime. However, contrary to Kate Johnson’s belief, I believe

that there will always be fault on both sides when it comes to an end of a relationship, and it is

essential for one to reflect upon the mistakes, to avoid repeating them again. For instance, as I
grew up in multiple cities, there have been many instances where distance led to the loss in

contact between some of my friends and I. However, although it may seem like the fault could be

placed on the process of moving away and the idea of being in a different location from your

friends, part of the reason itself is that both sides did not put in enough effort to maintain the

relationship. It was an active choice to not stay in touch through social media, as the long-lasting

friendships I made with others were always the ones where both sides put in the effort to see and

check up on each other regularly.

As teamwork requires collaboration and communication, it is always easier to work with

the other person when there’s some form of connection or understanding between the members.

Admitting that one cannot form in depth connections with everyone is a key takeaway from

being a leader. In a team or group, it is often the case that one’s working style and personality

doesn’t match with another. It is important for a leader to acknowledge this fact. However, when

meaningful friendships are formed, it is usually much easier for the group to work together, as

they now recognize each other’s strengths and weaknesses, and are able to assist each other

while being compassionate and considerate for every member’s feelings. This was the case when

working in group projects as a team leader, I often to enjoy the process of working together with

my friends rather than just my classmates, as the working environment generated is much more

comfortable and down to earth, rather than serious or formal.