A Reunion

After writing about having no friends on a Friendship Day, little did I know that I will actually get to meet my old school friends. One day, I get a call and since it was an unknown number, I did not bother to answer the call, thinking that it might be one of those promotional calls. Then came the call again and this time I answered it and Lo! it was my school friend Chetna. She, as usual, started with abuses and I should say I really enjoyed them. Then, as the enterprising girl she has always been, she soon formed a group on What’s App and soon I was talking to more of my school friends. And I did not know Beena was staying so close to my house for years! We could not hide our excitement and quickly we decided to meet. And after 14 years or so, we three finally met and we laughed so aloud together that those around us gave nasty glances and we talked so much that we did not even bother to look at the clock.

Image source: http://bit.ly/1sbl0j6 

There, we were, like a bunch of school kids and for the first time, I was not feeling conscious or awkward. In fact, I did not even look at anyone around me and for me, those moments, I only had me and my two sweet friends in the whole word. I could not wait to meet them again. It was then I realised that no matter how far you come in life and how many friends you make later, it is only your school friends that are your true friends. They do not judge you and do not care how fussy you look, or how clumsy you are because they have been friends with you when you were ‘real’. In school, you do not put up an image of yours and you behave the way you are and there are no pretensions. You just are the way you should be and your school mates love you for that. Then, there was no jealousy during those times. If you got more marks than others, nobody bothered and if you wanted to study or write when others around wanted to chat, they allowed your space. In fact, if you look back at your school days, you can catch up on so many values of life.

Since we belonged to that generation who grew up without internet and mobiles,  we knew only that much that our parents or teachers told us. We also had so much respect for our teachers and they in fact, loved us so much that I remember, in one of my tests, I did not do that well and my history teacher gave me such a stern look. They cared for us and protected us in every step. During picnics, they always had an eye on us to see that we were safe.

As school mates, we never went out to eat or catch a movie, hardly visited each other’s home but yet we were there for each other, when we needed notes or any other help. Perhaps, that was an age of innocence and we are grateful we belonged to that generation. Thank God, for that life, with little money and no gadgets, because we could be what we should have.

Today, all of us are settled in our own life and I am happy to see that all of us are happy and content in our life with family and children. Hi friends, I can’t wait for another get-together, for I want to be a school girl again and I want to laugh as if nobody is watching, I want to scream and talk as if nobody is listening. I want to be in the company of old mates with whom I can be what I am and unlike in that oil ad, where a woman has to groom herself before her reunion, I can show off my greys and my imperfections because I know my friends do not see them. They see and love ‘ME’.

For my friends, a poem that I love.. from the internet, author unknown:

Written with a pen, sealed with a kiss,
If your my friend, please answer this:
Are we Friends or are we not?
You told me once But i forgot.
So tell me now And tell me true.
So i can say...."I’m here for you
Of all the friends I’ve ever met,
you're the one i won't forget.
And if I die Before you do,
I'll go to heaven And wait for you

I'll give the angels Back their wings
And risk the loss Of everything.
Just to prove my Friendship is true..
to have a friend like you!