F.R.I.E.N.D.S – Family You Can Choose!
For most of us the growing up years of school are the times that we cherish. I bet many of us were asked to write essays on “My Best Friend”. Looking back at the years gone by, almost feel that friends are the family life lets you choose. Not to say that the I have complaints about the one I have (and no I’m not buttering up to my parents!!!).
I’m sure all of us have those cousins who irritate us no end and uncles who are snoots and aunts who’s son is better than you at everything. But when it comes to friends its different. These are people you’ve chosen to be with or those who have chosen you to be with. Either way it’s a two way street. When you’re with friends it doesn’t matter who picks up the tab after a couple of drinks at the pub. You don’t maintain books…most loans are on non-returnable basis! I guess what sets friends apart is the that there are no set expectations from friends…just that they are around.
My favourite friend moment was when a friend of mine called me and asked me what I was doing and when I said “Nothin” pat came the reply “Me too! Come over and we’ll do nothing together!!” That’s what friendship is all about. The ability to do nothing together! Who hasn’t spent endless hours just hanging around! Milkshake at ones place, followed by sandwiches at the next guys place.Having said that, with friends you don’t have to ask. We’ve all told those little lies for a friend. A little bit of truth bending. And no, friendship is not only about covering up its also about showing the way to the best of our capabilities. Yes, sometimes plans go horribly wrong.
Friendship is a spirit that does not age..you can press the pause button for days..months maybe even years and start from where you left off. Friendship is not only about reminisceing the moments spent together; it’s about creating one more moment every time you do!!!!
As John Lennon put it…”I get by with a lil help from my friends…”
The Choice
Why should life be lived On someone else's terms One needs to feel the angst Of their own itches and burns Who knows when a right may come Even if it is after a few wrong turns Happiness lies in chasing ones own dreams What good are wings if they are tethered Life is only fulfilling if it's lived unfettered
Yaari, Dosti etc.
Walked into Coffee Home at CP after a very, very long time. A thousand memories walked in along with me, but that is not what this piece is about. Sitting at the table alongside ours was a group of elderly gentlemen.Seemed like old pals catching up over coffee and snacks and that’s what set me thinking.
Watching them break into occasional laughter, pulling each others leg and then shift gears into a serious discussion on a story playing out on one of the news channels for some strange reason evoked a feeling of time travel. It was as though I was looking at my circle of friends through a telescopic lens through time.
Will we have the pleasure of meeting up like this when we are 70?? How many of us would still be in touch??
Friendship, unlike other relationships has a wine like quality and each passing year makes it special.
I have mentioned in one of my posts that friends are family you can choose.
They say that God could not be every where so he made mothers. Friends in my book are on similar lines…only difference,they are a joint venture between Angels and Demons.
Friends are trust worthy;you can trust them to lead an expose of your most embarrassing moments at the most in-opportune of moments. Equally so, you can count on them to bail you out of awkward situations (well at least they always try).
I remember this one time when a bunch of us wanted to go out partying late. We had to get this friend of ours out of his house (his dad was a terror codenamed Phantom!!). One of us volunteered to be the birthday boy. All was going as per plan till Phantom for some strange reason wanted to know what the date that day was. He looked up and asked our helpful birthday boy who went… “Umm..Ummm…Uncle 10th. No no no uncle… 11th uncle”.
Old jungle saying “Only a fool crosses the Phantom”.
Whether we were able to get our friend to party that night is anybody’s guess..
Coming back; friends like lovers often talk about growing old together and wonder how they would be when they are older. They dream of togetherness forever.Take the quintessential Jai-Veeru kind of friendhip of Sholay or the more contemporary Dil Chahta Hai.
Friends perhaps are individual pieces of a jigsaw. It is loads of fun putting them together, making mistakes as we go along- putting the wrong ones next to one other. You make, you break, you make again trying to re-create what once was was or what it ought to be, because it takes all pieces for the picture to be complete.
Trouble is, sometimes some pieces go missing.
So here’s to the existing pieces sticking together and living everyday like a Saturday night!