When god created the world and all the magnificent things, he
outdid it by creating friends.
A friend is a channel through which emotional spiritual and
sometimes physical blessing flow. Life seems pretty boring without friends.
I always had a little bit of smaller bunch of friends and
among them there were few who were best friends. But to top it all, among the
best lot, I had those few who were closest to me, the ones with who I shared my
biggest secrets and was the keeper of their deepest secrets as well. They were
the ones who could push me and make me see the best in me.
Why not take this opportunity and thank all those who have
been in my life till now as my closest friends.
VEDANGEE……
I met my childhood best friend vedangee in kindergarten. My mother
had taken me to the school on the very first day, and left me to the teacher
saying she would be back in few hours to pick me up.!!!
Suddenly tears started to roll down my eyes, no it was not
tears rather we can put it has a loud sound along with tears which is called “
crying “. I didn't understand why my mother had to leave me with a bunch of
kids who were in no better state then I was and a complete stranger lady, who
was called a teacher…
Nevertheless, the final goodbyes ended with my mom, and an
assurance that she would be back I was walked by the teacher through the
class. Our slow and tender steps walk ended next to a small table and chairs
where already another girl was sitting and yes who was crying as well !!!.(It
was our first day at school!!!!).
I sat next to her and then teacher gave us some crayons and coloring
paper. Slowly, the crying faded in the joy of coloring. Both of us knew each
other by now with our names... (Also with our nick names).
Soon we had started sharing our crayons, and fighting over
who had colored the pictures better!!! .
Vedangee was with me till 7th grade, and we
shared a special close relation among the rest.
That’s how I met my first ever friend, who became my closest
buddy in my childhood days. She still holds a special place in my heart.
As I grew older I started to appreciate friendships and
relationships more in my life. I still remember, I always wondered who to trust
and who would understand me better. Then came along in my life
BHAVNA….
In the 8th grade, all the students were shuffled
as per subjects opted and hence it was time to leave behind the secondary
school friends while moving on to higher secondary. The day I entered my class
I could see few familiar faces among the strangers who were not my friends.
I will have to make new friends “I was aware “but how “I was
not sure “. I made my way through all the front row desks which were already
occupied and decided to sit on the second last desk.
A while later, a tall girl with hair plaited. Walks up to
the desk, and occupies the place next to me.
Both of us had the same thought in our minds, “Ok, we are
going to be bench mates “.
“I always end up sitting at the last benches, because of my
height “she said.
I smiled and replied, “For me there was no choice, as the
entire front desks are already occupied.
We both smiled …..
By the end of the day, our nerdiness and the craziness for
the movies and the admiration for the same movie
stars made us bond like we
knew each other since years. A bond I would say was instantaneous. We bunked classes,
when we struggled with assignments we knew we had each other to fall back on,
even shared with each other our first crush. (The initial teen age crush!!!).Her
family became my second family. We shared our god and bad times, sad and happy
moments.
Time does not wait it moves on. She moved to the different
country after marriage, but even though it has been years now we have not met,
even though we live in two different countries, we do catch up with each other
over social sites.
Virtually, every new chapter in life has potential to disrupt
friendships. As the chapter called marriage unfolded in my life, I moved on to
a foreign land holding hands with my better half, and unknown territory which I
entered, hoping to make some new friends…
I truly, believed that through fate and bit by chance, I will
definitely find some smiling faces and helping hands… which I did… and among
all I found..
Annapurna.....
It was a beautiful Sunday morning; we all mutual friends had
planned a picnic to a nearby dam. It was decided to meet at a friend’s house,
at particular time. We arrived a bit late. You all can imagine if you are a mother of a 2
year old than how it would be?
When we reached the porch of the friend’s house, I saw a
couple sitting outside, it was obvious I had never seen them before, thought
them to be relatives.
Hi!! We are sorry, we are a bit late, “I said to
the couple.
The lady looked at me, and nodded with a bit of sly smile. I
found her to be a bit arrogant at the first look.
On seeing us, the friend came and introduced the couple to us,
and said “they are new to the town, so thought to join them along “.
I smiled said “Hi “and the husbands greeted each other with
a handshake.
My husband told Annapurna and Ashwin (the couple‘s name) to
join us in our car.
My eyebrows raised , thinking, the women carries attitude how
am I going to travel the distance with them?
Anyways, the trip to the dam began …
On our way, I came to understand that the reason she was upset
was they were informed a wrong time.
They had reached our friends place, an hour
and a half before. The reason of her annoyance now fell in place for me. Even I
would have reacted the same way, if I was in her place.
We talked, and talked and talked and it just clicked between
us. We shared the same interest, same ideas, same thinking over certain things.
The entire picnic, we were kind of glued to each other. Hardly noticing what
the rest were up to.
The day came to an end, it was time to go to our dwellings,
but it led us to theirs.
Since that day, we had so many outings together, dinners and
sleepovers at each other’s house.
We bonded into friendship, but our commitment to friendship
made the bond. She knows me in and out and it’s always a wonderful feeling to
find that someone knows you better than your own self Annapurna happens to be
that someone. A friend you are able to talk to about anything, to feel the unconditional
love and acceptance and never being judged.
It never feels like we aren't close, just because we don’t stay
in the same country anymore. Though we are apart we have maintained our long
distance friendship.
Friends might come and go in your life, they can make us cry
and laugh but what is most important is that they love you for who you are. Friendships
are not some contract which is made on paper. It is a commitment for life which
is renewed every time you keep in touch.
With life’s challenges. I have not been able to keep in
touch with my friends, but I want all of them to know that even we are apart physically
and emotionally, though we do not talk or have not seen each other in years. I really
appreciate the treasure of friendships, joys and sorrows that we shared...
