F.R.I.E.N.D.S.

Another week and its going to be Friendship Day!!! There are a lot of days, weeks, months, being celebrated uniformly worldwide, and trust me, I am trying not to fall for their sweet charms, but this is one day I find very difficult to ignore! Ironically, my best friend thinks its nonsense...though I agree with him on almost all grounds, this is not happening! Growing up sibling-less, in a comparatively strict household; school and school mates were my wonderland! Every morning I would thrust myself into the warmth, the joy, the simple freedom, that only friends could give, every weekend I would yearn to see them again! But moving constantly from one city to another made sure only a few of those friendships remained. Initially disheartening as it was, I realised later that this ensured I was left with the friends that meant the most! Evidently, they still do!

This is for all of them. In the order in which they arrived.

Maa The person I love the most. Not because she is my mother. But wholly because of the individual she is. The first person to accept me as I am. Loving me, not in spite of, but for my faults. Constantly inspiring me, despite my regular failures. To be patient, brave, happy! And kindling in me the want to be her. Very her.

Didibhai Proof that two entirely opposite individuals can go along perfectly :)

Devanshi You make friends. And then, you make friends when you think you are growing up. a time when you have an opinion on everything, and all your impulses, decisions, feelings...seem the best and the most correct. At this time, you find someone who thinks like you. Years pass by, and you realise you were oh so wrong. And that its possible that you may never be right. In the total mayhem that is produced in the head, you look up to find the same person, going through the same shit, with the exact same guts and elegance, making it impossible for the world to know how deeply messed up you might be! For all this, and for making me realise that two girls, can indeed be friends....I love you!

Nivedan The biggest high of life is probably when you realise you know someone inside out. And not judge them. To know that this person will not remotely try to be someone else, under any goddamn situation, if you are at the receiving end. To understand that, he puts all his under achievements, flaws, shortcomings, under your scrutiny and goes away to enjoy life...knowing that you are, and will always be there. To see that the faith runs so deep, it can reach a point where his life merges into yours...and you forget when that happened. To believe that the world may go, vanish, die, cheat, lie, sleep....someone is always there. Wide wide awake.

Jaimeen Every girl needs a guy who understands her feminine misgivings and yet not laugh at them. Someone who can listen to all that is too sensitive to be shared with another girl, and too confusing for a boy to understand. Someone who can call/ping/mail you when you instinctively miss them, and soothe your fears that no technology can replace the dil ka rishta. Someone you can have pink drinks with, and can get overly emotional without the fear of being misread. Someone who does not consider you his closest friend, and nor do you....but feel exactly the equal amount of love and compassion. Its scary, and so beautiful!

Baba Hochche. hote hote hoye jabe :)

A few others who are not yet there....but oh so badly I want them!!

To all of you, and to them, and of course to my biggest and sometimes the only friend, me, I wish a very very happy friendship day!!!