THE JOY OF OLD FRIENDS.. incomparable and unmatched!

When I turned 60 last year and had a big party to celebrate.. what struck me was the number of friends who came to celebrate with me! Overwhelmed by the love.. hugs.. dancing.. singing.. excitement and sentiment of the occasion it hit me that one of the greatest blessings we receive in life is strong and unconditional friendships..

Wealth managers recommend investing in equities.. mutual funds.. SIPs.. AIFs and whatnot.. but according to me.. the best investment you can make is in strong friendships with good people!  What do I mean by good people? The kind of people who inspire you.. believe in you.. understand you.. commiserate with you over your sorrows and celebrate your joys more enthusiastically than you do!

Everyone who knows me for any length of time knows that my friends are the MOST important people in the world to me.. always have been.. and always will be! As a teenager my Mom used to tell me “What is this? Friends.. friends and friends all the time? Remember that when things get tough.. it will be only FAMILY that will stand by you and support you! Don’t be obsessed with your friends all the time!”

Mom.. wherever you are (and I know you’re watching as well as listening.. this is one matter in which I am super happy to prove you wrong in a resounding way! God has blessed me with the BEST friends in the world and they have “been there” for me through thick and thin.. sick and sin.. and just everything that’s happened in life.. for which I am and will always be eternally grateful!

It was a friend who rushed with me to hospital when Mom fell down and broke her hip.. when Mom had to have a feeding tube inserted in her stomach (I was at the eye specialist with Dad getting some “jhaankhi” removed).. It was a friend who made me register with an emergency ambulance service seeing that Mom and Dad were going to hospital every so often!

It was friends who rallied round when my marriage was on the rocks.. who took me into their hearts and home and cherished me for the 12 weeks it took for me annulment to come through.. and friends who gathered around when I got back to India and made sure I wasn’t alone depressed and brooding over what had happened..

Being single (and not wanting to mingle).. it has always been friends who made sure to invite me over on festivals so I get to share that precious feeling of “family time”.. and friends who have agreed to come with me on holidays so I don’t have to travel alone!

Since Covid I have made a few new and solid friends.. they are the people who pray for me.. protect me.. and who encouraged me to a greater awareness of the importance of spiritual growth.. and pretty much changed the trajectory and focus of my life.. What an incredible blessing they are!

Last week I flew down to Bangalore to celebrate a very old friend’s birthday.. he’s just 61 but the friendship has been for about 45 years! I coordinated with his wife (who’s a darling) and made a surprise visit.. literally just landed up at his door! THAT look of pure joy on his face made the two hour drive from the airport in horrendous traffic totally worthwhile! And the hug we shared kind of just made the years melt away bathing the day in a beautiful glow of happiness! Suhas and Medha.. this one’s especially for you both!

Old friends are the people who you can ask the dumbest questions without the fear of being judged.. the ones you can talk to about something anything nothing and walk away feeling like it was the best conversations you ever had.. the ones who are genuinely concerned about you and call to check how you’re doing every once in a while.. the ones you crack the silliest jokes with and laugh with like a mad person..

Old friends are the people you knew in school.. building friends.. college friends.. neighbours.. and perhaps workmates too.. they are the people to miss.. love.. cherish and keep in touch with.. By all means go out and make new friends too.. it takes every colour of crayon to “complete the box” and all your friends enrich and enhance your life in some way or the other!

In the immortal words of someone unknown but extremely wise “Friends are the family you choose for yourself”.. and good friends are the ones who you NEVER take for granted so go ahead and send that message.. call.. meet up.. and always remember to tell them that you love them.. Life is short and unpredictable so don’t wait for tomorrow!

They are the people who love you unconditionally and in a world where most things come with an “*conditions apply”.. HOW special and precious is that?

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