6th August 2013
Two days back, the entire world celebrated Friendship Day. The cynic in me wondered…Really? We need a day to celebrate the most glorious and fun relationship in the world.
Two days back, the entire world celebrated Friendship Day. The cynic in me wondered…Really? We need a day to celebrate the most glorious and fun relationship in the world.
I never had siblings. With both my parents working, my friends
were my lifeline. The term Chaddi dost holds true in my case, literally. I still
have my school friends with whom I used to hold hands in kindergarten to go to
the loo. We laughed and cried together, hit puberty together and had
heartbreaks too together. And those long phone calls…rather the crank calls.
The looks I used to get from my mother are still etched in my mind.
And then came hostel life. It took friendship to a whole new
level. Friends became family. I really want my kids to experience hostel life.
What that kind of life can teach you cannot be learnt anywhere and anyhow. Guaranteed.
Marriage brought in my best friend and confidante.
Kids introduced me to a new gamut of friends. These new friends
made me believe in me when I almost felt that I have lost myself amongst
responsibilities and new roles.
A few days back, one of my friends and I were talking about how we have evolved from complete strangers to colleagues then to ex-colleagues
and now to very close buddies. As we kept talking, I said:
“I think everyone should have 4 kinds of friends:
1. The Mirror: She is the one who reflects all your
dirt and beauty. You can stay without pretense in front of them. They are like
your conscience. They will keep you on track. Every time you are about to do
something against your principles, their face will flash in front of you. They
are pretty much you.
2. The Bubblegum: Chewy, juicy and plain fun. They
make you smile, laugh and be basically crazy. No strings attached. You can call
them after 3 months and still laugh it off.
3. The Bible: She is your advisor. They are the
ones you can count on for information on anything under the sky. They can tell
you about the best tailor, the awesome eating joints, the reliable doctors,
watchable movies, holiday destinations, et al.
4. The North-South Pole: They are your exact
opposite. If you are calm, they will be the live wire. If you are a worry-wart,
they are cool as cucumber. If you are a neatness freak, they can’t even find
their clothes under the pile of clothes. If you are practical, they refuse to
come out of their Wonderland. They remind you how letting go of your excess
baggage can be good for you. They remind you how a little discipline can make
your life lot easier."
I guess I'm lucky because, I have all these types of people in
my life at the moment.
And then, there are my kids. They are just breaking their
own sweet bubbles of friendship. A came back from school yesterday with 3
friendship bands. He was flaunting it all the way. Suddenly, at around 8pm, he
said he wants them too for his friends. We sat to make 3 of them from his toy jewelry set. I
remember seeing him freaked out when my mom gifted him the set some time back.
His exact words: “Ammumma, you think I am a girl! I will never play with it!!”
Suddenly, he fell in love with it, because there emerged 3 very nice looking friendship bands. It adores his friends’ wrists now.
While all this happened, how could N be left behind? She too
decided that she needs to have a friendship band. It did not matter that at 3,
she does not have a best friend. It definitely did not matter that she flashes her little
finger a hundred times to her friends to say ‘katti’ and then hugs them back
the next moment.
Nevertheless, she made this all by herself. And I mean it,
all by herself! I just tied the knot. Good girl, I say. She of course wears it
now.
So, today morning A asked, "Is Friendship Day celebrated for 7 days? My friend said so."
And I said, "No, It is celebrated everyday and forever."