Friendship Day is celebrated on the first Sunday of August in India. Friends are the stress busters that we have and fall upon to combat ailments triggered by the rush and mundane existence combining routine of work cum life balance. Someone truly said, 'True friendships are the ones that withstood the test of times as we emerge out of the rough times." There is a friend for every occasion, right from the ones with whom we grew together, the college friend making lifetime memories or the few ones we clicked in office and drinking buddies. In today's edgy and fast-paced life, it's not easy to keep friendships intact adding to it family responsibilities where there is a tendency to keep our folks for granted, forgetting them or some conflicts that drifted the people apart who once meant the world to each other. College days friendships remain a special one with the bums we carved rich memories, thrills, adventures, fuck ups or craziness that defined us. Reaching out to our closest buddies on friendship day is a perfect time not that we need a special day to create joy together but it makes for a great moment to rekindle old ties and bonds.
1. A phone call away
Move beyond WhatsApp and call this close friend staying far away, that the seas and oceans separated you to have a conversation, just like during the olden days. It doesn't harm speaking to a close buddy for 2 minutes no matter how busy you are in life. Today, I called few friends scattered in various parts of India and across the globe. Of course, the WhatsApp friendship day forwards means that you care but you can drop a few lines to friends on messenger, doesn't matter if you are no longer friends on social media. It leaves such a beautiful and positive feeling on your folks that played an integral part in your life.
2. Facebook friends
Har ek dost zaroori hai! Facebook friends and plain strangers have made the entire friendship thread look cool with this virtual dosti tying a virtual forever bond. I received beautiful images on my FB messenger and the little bit of conversation make us believe in this sacred relationship called friendships that transgresses everything on earth. It has been an amazing ride falling on plain strangers who are now close friends and don't hesitate in reaching out to the ones on this spaceship. It's all about making new memories and friends.
3. Respect the space
Friendship is not about being at the beck-and-call of each other but respecting the space and privacy of close friends that makes for healthy relationships. There are some rules that need to be re-written after some point while the rest should follow the same old narration. Emotions among old friends shall remain forever and certain things never change but at the same time, there is an understanding that some lines cannot be crossed to make our lifelong relations worth the ride. The secret to happy friendship and nurturing relations are the space that must be respected at all costs.
4. Never take for granted
One of my pet peeves is someone coming late for a lunch or catching up for coffee. It works both ways. It's a golden rule to never ditch a friend at the last minute or for that matter, turning extremely late. Don't keep the ones who care to wait for long for it shows a scant disrespect for the relationship.
5. Friends are no sidekick
I have always made the effort to make my friends an important priority in life and not saying abandon responsibilities to be with friends. But, it's important to shower the respect and it takes lot of time and effort to invest in relationships to make your buddies an important priority in life. Friends are family and siblings, our inner strength and never forget this truth.
6. Bond over drinks
Calling friends out of the blue for a game of chess, binge-watching on Net Flix or catching for a movie and partying with drinks is a good way to rekindle old ties. The best thing about chilling with old pals is the entire unplanned night out makes for crazy moment forever captured in the hearts and the beats strumming together like guitar.
7. Mixing friendship?
The confused and conservative me in this department is not very sure whether we should mix our tribes, right from childhood, college and work friends or acquaintances. Initially, I wasn't very sure to mix friends from various walks for drinks or dinner. It's quite a big question mark but bringing everyone socially once in a blue moon doesn't harm.
8. Friends and disagreement
Disagreeing with friends and having contrasting view on politics, religion, arts, cinema and global affairs is quite sensitive and many of us believe that by just agreeing will keep the friendship intact. Nothing farther from the truth or else we would never grow by just agreeing since stifling an opposite view because of friends always have the chances of crushing our respective individualities or harboring frustration and the lack of respect. Of course, it doesn't make an iota of sense to break friendship over Modi vs Rahul Gandhi.
