This Friendship Day I want to acknowledge the friendship of all my friends without whom I will not be the person I am today.
From my childhood I had to move to different places as my father got postings all around Andhra Pradesh so I had the chance to meet new people and always make new friends. I am not really sure who I played with when I was little but my true friendship started in Eluru a small town near Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh. Aiwhwarya was my fist best friend. We were classmates from my first to third standard in St. Theressa's school. I do not remember much about that time except that we always had a great time together.
Then my father got transferred to Vizag. This was the place when I knew that Friendship has no age limits. We had these great neighbours, Prof. Pandu Ranga Rao, Leela Aunty, Nunny, Munny and Bunny. LOL I know .... they are pet names but I never knew them by their original names. All of them were elder than me but they were people I would never forget in my life. Great people the very meaning of perfect neighbours. We were there only for one year but they gave me and my family memories that could last for a life time.
When I came back from school I was always in their place than in my home. I was Leela aunty's favourite and no one is allowed to tease me when I was around her, even my mom. when my mother used to scold me for not studying aunty used to call her from her house and tell her to send me to her house. I will not forget those days. I remember I used to play with uncle also. That new year he got so many bouquets, and I was down there tearing of all the flowers and filled thier whole house with stems and leaves... the thing is no one stopped me. I was free to do anything in their house. They had taught that being friendly is important than anything in the world. I am sorry that I could not meet them again after we left Vizag. Hey... I still have time don't I
OK from there we went to Kakinada, It is called a pensioners Paradise. The place is a secluded charming town with such a warm hearted people. I had my lifes best time in that place, I have improved my studies and also as a person in this place. I had many friends in this place but the person who had an impact on me was Uma, she and I were inseparable. we studied together, played together, we participated in debates, we acted in school dramas. Uma always wanted to be a doctor, her father suffered with heart problem. I wished I knew where she is and if she became what she always wanted to be. We lost touch after she too moved from Kakinada. There is another person I want to mention hear. Friendship does not always happen between people who have everything in common but it might spark between two people who are completly different. Lekha, the principle's daughter was this big headed girl who always got what she wanted, neither teachers nor students crossed her path except for a new girl from Vizag... ya me.
Well I was hot headed too, when she started to dominate me I was really mad and I did not care if she was principle's daughter and the rest of the class were with me. So for two years of cold war between us finally she complained to her father and I got a good shouting from the principle. My mother was not happy about it and she called for a truce between us. It was quiet well from then on, Lekha followed me around after that and I became friends with the 'Principle's daughter'. A very funny girl who was just misunderstood.
From there we came to Vijayawada, our native, the place we have been away for so long. This is where I learnt that making friends is not easy and finding friends you can trust is an impossible task. Still I found friends who cared for me and about whom I cared. This place taught me that life is full of odd people. When I first joined Nirmala High School I was naive, but when I left it I was street smart. In a way the school taught me that life is not good to you unless you are tough enough to handle it. But I was lucky to find a true friend, Deepthi. It was the time I knew the true meaning of friendship. She was with me through thick and thin and she still is. She is my pillar of strength and hope. She might change someday, but our friendship will not. It was a friendship based on give and take, she
gave me friendship and I took it. When people talk of Friendship I think of her. We were friends, are friends and will be friends forever. Her favourite quote was
miles and miles apart
thousand miles apart
you can never depart
from my heart
Now she is in US and I am in B'lore but thanks to modern technology we are always near, whenever I want a caring word Deepu is always there for me. After school we went different ways, she had her set of friends and I had mine but no one could replace her, and the special place she has in my heart.
After her I met Samyukta, she is bold and beautiful. Courageous and and outspoken, she and I have always argued about one thing or another, well more of a debate since we never shared a same opinion and after our debate we both agree to disagree. Both of us are calm and collective and never missed a chance to share our opinions, that way I always can count on Sam for an intelligent conversation. And in Engineering when people forbid her from talking to me (due to caste difference, yes it still prevails in colleges in Andhra... shocking isn't it that too in an educated community) she took it as a challenge and did not stop talking to me. (courageous as I have told you before) She and I are forbidden friends its actually exciting right. But time passed and we were busy with our own friends.
Well there is another person with whom I share a special bond of friendship Sri Vidya. She is my partner in crime. The both of us were the misfits in Nalanda where we made fun of boys, lecturers. We studied with competition and we did a lot of work, but mostly we enjoyed each others company.
Then when I got to my Engineering I got not one but six best friends, Everyone unique in their own way. Sirisha, the caterpillare which came out of its cocoon to become a butterfly, she has reached her heights with hard work and pure determination. Indu, the voice of reason, always cool and collective. She was never too rash in making decisions, and she helped me a lot. Satyavathi, was this innocent village girl, innocense is a bliss they say and I would say she would stay that way forever. Jhansi is the modest one, she always knew why she was here and she became the typical wife, and mother. She is this image of 'the Indian girl' everyone talks about.
Lalitha is always confused, I frankly never understood her the four years of our friendship and still do not understand her, but there is this truth about her one cannot miss. Neelu, the poor little rich girl, she had everything handed to her in a silver plate, everything selected for her by her parents and done for her by her brother. She had nothing to do but live a happy life. I am told she is expecting a baby boy soon. They made my college life a memorable one.
After my education I got married and my husband became my next best friend. The supports me , encoourages me, guides me and I am happy to find a friend in my husband, It is every girls dream and I am lucky to live my dream.
On this Friendship day I wish all my Friends a Happy Friendship Day
