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

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I don't consider myself to be the ideal friend. Not something to be proud of but I am glad that my Sheldon Cooper-ish eccentricities found me few but just the right people I can call my buddies. And today is a BIG day for four of my childhood and best buddies!

AK completed his Masters' from SRH University, Germany. Thank God for technology, I could virtually attend his convocation via a live stream. Having witnessed his journey till here, cannot tell you how proud it made me feel to see him deliver his convocation speech on the dais today, almost-teary eyed. (I remember how I sobbed like a child when nobody attended my convocation. It was like this big dream that never got fulfilled. But it felt really nice to be there for somebody else and live my dream through his 😊)
 
After months and months of hard work, AB earned an opportunity for a collaborative PhD with DRDO in NIT Rourkela. I have seen him undergo the entire process to make it till here and I tell you it is a real feat. (Considering AB's domain of studies and my fanaticism for anything defence, I wished for him to join the DRDO since long. He was, of course, thrilled at the possibility but kept trying for regular PhD options at other universities but as luck would have it, the wires got connected in the end ðŸ˜Ž)

I have known VCR for 17 years now! From making him revise our school lessons to the endless fights, don't know when we grew up. He completed his MBA last month and started his first dream job today in a good firm. (In no time shall I pursue him to depute me as his Corp Comm person 😆)

SC has probably been my oldest friend, I have known him for 22 years! He ranked 5th in the merit list of a prestigious university, to enrol for a Masters' degree today. After two whole turbulent years, the door to abundance has finally unlocked for him and I just pray that there's no looking back.

And for the first time in life, I feel like I did play a role in each of these achievements (even if it were like the tiniest part). This makes me much much happy. 

You see for the longest time - I would miss replying to Whatsapp messages as I would hate as much as the sight of my phone post-work-hours, having spent the entire day on it - or I would forget returning calls - I would choose not to go on trips - or I would just block them out of my life whenever I was going through personal troubles and the list continues. And I was getting or would still get away with it. But that is only because my friends value me and are kind enough to bear my tantrums. 

I could argue that you don't need to stay in touch 24x7 to sustain the friendship. When the connections are real, you can just pick them up from where you left. But, the extra time and resulting wisdom that came with the lockdowns earlier this year, taught me that it takes two to tango. Any kind of relationship strengthens when both parties meet midway in nourishing it. So this time, I chose to be a little kinder to the people who had always remained a text/call away. 

I chose to just be there for them, in whichever little way I could. And the difference it has brought to each of our respective equations is remarkable! Touchwood!

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