In school and college, I always yearned to have a big group of friends, bonding over small and big things and in general painting the town red. That never happened. I was a shy and introverted girl and this seemed more like a fantasy. I was naive and short of perspective to package friendship into certain brackets. Sharing the same bench in school and college was not the only factor that went into this complex, but beautiful relationship.
What I also didn't know was that, I would develop a thick bond of friendship with a bunch of people from different family backgrounds, each from a different educational institute, who'd later go on to choose different career paths, get married at different points and go on to live in different states and countries, yet having the one and only common thread between us, that of friendship remaining intact, despite all these differences.
We 'd hang out in the evenings after our respective college hours, go out for movies, party hard on special occasions, have frequent sleep overs, gossiping all through the night, the likes ; the typical stuff teenage and the adrenalin of independence brings along. All of us did have a good head over our shoulders too. We all belonged to different interests and stream of education, yet we shared the common bond of having the same values and outlook towards life. Life took each one of us to task in its own way and at different points of our lives. We were extremely lucky to have one or the other among the gang to provide the proverbial shoulder to lean on while going through a low phase in life.
Life has been more than kind to let this friendship grow even after we got married and had kids. The icing on the cake has been having three of us coming to reside in the same city after many years, to discover the husbands getting along well and our kids (being of the same age) becoming default friends too! As is the rule of life, this ideal situation is soon going to change since one of us is about to relocate abroad for a while now. The time seemed apt to have a reunion of sorts when our fourth friend who stays at Bombay decided to pay us a visit, for who knows, when the planets would align like this again in future!
So, last weekend was such a time when all of us got together. It was so much fun catching up. It seemed like the time had never passed by. Of course, we now had kids to remind us of how much things had changed. Yet, nothing had changed between us. We are like the spokes of a wheel: diverging in different directions with different aspirations and goals, yet we converge at the central point that is our trademark of being friends together.
What I also didn't know was that, I would develop a thick bond of friendship with a bunch of people from different family backgrounds, each from a different educational institute, who'd later go on to choose different career paths, get married at different points and go on to live in different states and countries, yet having the one and only common thread between us, that of friendship remaining intact, despite all these differences.
We 'd hang out in the evenings after our respective college hours, go out for movies, party hard on special occasions, have frequent sleep overs, gossiping all through the night, the likes ; the typical stuff teenage and the adrenalin of independence brings along. All of us did have a good head over our shoulders too. We all belonged to different interests and stream of education, yet we shared the common bond of having the same values and outlook towards life. Life took each one of us to task in its own way and at different points of our lives. We were extremely lucky to have one or the other among the gang to provide the proverbial shoulder to lean on while going through a low phase in life.
Life has been more than kind to let this friendship grow even after we got married and had kids. The icing on the cake has been having three of us coming to reside in the same city after many years, to discover the husbands getting along well and our kids (being of the same age) becoming default friends too! As is the rule of life, this ideal situation is soon going to change since one of us is about to relocate abroad for a while now. The time seemed apt to have a reunion of sorts when our fourth friend who stays at Bombay decided to pay us a visit, for who knows, when the planets would align like this again in future!
So, last weekend was such a time when all of us got together. It was so much fun catching up. It seemed like the time had never passed by. Of course, we now had kids to remind us of how much things had changed. Yet, nothing had changed between us. We are like the spokes of a wheel: diverging in different directions with different aspirations and goals, yet we converge at the central point that is our trademark of being friends together.
Wow, Uma, one generally tends to lose touch with school and college friends over time or even
ReplyDeleteIf you are in touch, the dynamics of relating changes! Touchwood, for your circle of friends!
I can so relate... that bond which never changes irrespective of different time zones and tastes is here to stay. I share my bond with 2 of my closest childhood friends. Our parents are friends, we are and now we are hoping our kids will be too.
ReplyDeleteoh yes, our husbands get well along too. I think that is as important. :)
ReplyDeleteWow! You are so lucky to have such long-lasting friendship which is not lost in the whirl of life. Thumbs up for u gals :) <3
ReplyDeleteLoved reading this Uma!! The best thing about such friends is they never change with time... and so, even if you meet them after a long time, you feel that time had never passed by(as you have mentioned in the last few lines)!!
ReplyDeleteNice reading that the friendship is kept green in your case with chosen few while generally the time, distance,different interests,backgrounds weaken it.If one relocates to US,I wish two more reloacte to Bangalore to keep you all happy.Being friendly over a long period is rare virtue.
ReplyDeleteA nice post well written
Friendship is my favorite topic :) I can go on talking about it for hours! I am glad you got a chance to catch up with all your friends - it's always fun :)
ReplyDeleteSo lovely to hear about this friendship Uma :).. I know how tough it can be to maintain friendships over the passing years, and it's great that you could stay in touch with old and dear friends.
ReplyDeleteWow Uma. That's the best gift anyone can ever have -to have long lasting friends.
ReplyDeleteWow!! This is a really strong bond. Keep it up!!
ReplyDeleteI have always been the 'out of sight, out of mind' types :(
Hi Uma,
ReplyDeleteWell written post. Hope the friendship stays the way it is!
Megha
once a friend, always a friend, that is my life mantra, i can so relate to your post Uma, being shy and naive yet having lasting friendship with ppl i have met long ago...thanks for sharing...
ReplyDeletethanks, all! :-))
ReplyDelete