Most of us can recall a time when our parents warned us

To “choose our friends wisely.”

Suffice it to say, they were referring to

The way in which others would judge us

In accordance to our friends,

As well as the influence our friends would have upon us.

So we made it through boot camp

Remember how different we were when we got back home?

We were even more different after a few deployments,

And even more different if we experienced combat.

Sometimes, those differences are overcome

By the common threads that tie our group together.

Other times, those differences cause us to “move on”

To a new group of friends.

We can make a similar move today -

And if we want to know if the move is a good one,

Just look at the company we keep.

The company we keep defines who we are.

The old saying, “You are the company you keep,” is very true

In friendship we are the company we keep

Friendship with a fool never works out right

False is friendship with the false and greedy

It never works out right because false is its foundation,

And if we have friends with good qualities or virtues,

Our nature will change accordingly.

On the other hand, if we make friends with someone

Who has bad qualities; he will be a bad influence on us

And such friendships lead to corruption.

Accordingly, the Great Souls tell us that

One can tell who we are by the company we keep

And through the relationship we change.

We are only as smart and good looking as the company we keep.

And we’re known by the company we keep.

“You say you’re doin’ nothing wrong
I don’t believe you are
I’m only trying to help you sis
Before you go too far
Cause I think you’re an angel
But folks think that you’re cheap
Cause you’re known by the company you keep”

-Song by Dolly Parton “The Company you Keep”

“A Vietnamese girl in traditional dress offers flowers to (Myanmar) Foreign Minister U Win Aung as he arrives at the annual retreat of ASEAN . . .” Myanmar Times

Photo is from Al Jazeera. It depicts Singapore’s PM Lee (right) with Myanmar premier Thein Sein

see also Jotman’s article on news of ASEAN’s new sec-gen. Surin: Asean needs an Identity

http://jotman.blogspot.com/2007/11/prominent-logo-does-not-brand-make.html