The Essence of a True Friendship
Transport From a Low Mood to a Zone of Euphoria in a Matter of Seconds
#1 — A Few Real Ones are Better than a Dozen Fake Ones
I’d rather have a few friends who get me totally and mean well to me than dozens of fake ones, who can’t decipher what’s in my heart. Or pretend they can’t read me.
Those that are not kicked to see me inch towards my goals. That is, too mean to see me bloom.
That age when you are okay with a friend, that is ‘Miss. Right Now’ but ain’t ‘Miss Right’ has passed me by. I’d much rather enjoy my solitude than hang out with one of those who has not an iota of the real stuff in her temperamental gene.
In any case, solitude is essential for inner development. I’ve always been one of the self-improvement, inner growth types. I love interacting with people if they are like-minded or if I genuinely enjoy their company. I won’t force a conversation to happen.
#2 — What Going to an All-Girls School and an All-Girls College Taught Me
Went to a girls’ school and a girls’ college and know only too well that women friends can be bitchy. And cruel. And critical. As Hell.
Made better friends during my MBA. When I went to do my MBA and made friends with guys, is when I realized that it is possible to have genuine cheerleaders for life. That felt nice. Friends that mean well to you. Are happy to see you get ahead in life.
#3- Made Some Genuine Women Friends in the Least Unlikely Places
But in the years leading up to the pandemic, have made friends with other women through work-related assignments and by hanging out at coffee joints.
You heard right. At cafes. There is a saying,
‘Being in the right place, at the right time.’
Those were the benefits and not the features of working from a coffee joint. Ha ha ;)
It does feel nice and comforting to have women supporters who smile from their hearts when you knock off your milestones.
#4 — Two friends, a plan, a car ride, and a meal: the most fun recipe ever!
One such friend of mine connected with me two weeks ago.
She instantly senses a dull mood over the phone. She could tell that I needed to hang loose, chillax, and let my hair down. Sometimes that can be more therapeutic than talking ever can.
“Lunch date, Comorin?’ she offers.
I fall off my chair like a 5-year-old waiting to tear off the wrapping paper taped onto his unopened birthday presents. She knows how much I enjoy the ambiance of Comorin. But guys, we wouldn’t drive from Delhi to Gurgaon just for the ambiance.
The food is absolutely killer and hits the right notes on my deviously eclectic taste palette. Complete Indian dishes interpreted with the most unpredictable twists and spins by none other than the maestro of Indian culinary fare, Chef Manish Mehrotra.
Just to get it straight, this is not a sponsored post. I wholeheartedly binge on their dishes.
We drive from Delhi to Gurgaon, sharing our stories of the last two weeks, and singing along with the music playing in the car.
It is one of my favourite artists and favourite song — ‘Rolling in the Deep,’ by Adele.
We are swaying our arms in hypnotic, ecstatic euphoria and singing at the tops of our voices.
The car ride is a massive hit. I am vibrating at the level of ‘Inner joy,’ on the law of vibration scale. Hey, I’m a huge believer in the belief that our frequency and vibration draw synchronicities into our lives. More on that, in another article. Promise.
The classy and lovely ambiance of Comorin so utterly delights my senses.
The feeling of loving-every-moment-of-the-experience kind of holiday.
I order two dishes that I always do- Corn Khichdi and Pao Bhaji. Khichdi is the Hindi word for porridge.
You might just go, ‘Ew... Khichdi.’
Porridge hardly tastes like one.
It has been given such a signature interpretation that it tastes more like a corn risotto if I were to try to equate it with something from the culinary world.
The coalescing of delightful elements as one organic expression — the heavenly food, the sophisticated vibe of the place, the classy décor, the cheery vibes, and yes, my friend’s wild stories — most definitely, hit the sweet spot for me.
I start to feel high on life all over again!
Woo hooo!
Excited to be alive. Once. More.
Life is a celebration, exploration, and so fun! Paint to create your own canvas.
#5- My Friend is Way Cooler Than Me
My friend who is much younger than me is exploring and experimenting with different facets of life. Her stories never cease to amaze me.
Her raw passion for life rubs off on me like a neatly fitted mitten.
I’m feeling like a billion bucks already.
Who could’ve fathomed that a meal in Gurgaon and a drive of merely 17 km could transport me from a dull zone to a land of euphoria? It had nothing to do with the meal BTW. That was just part of the peripherals. The real sauce was the company.
I’m so in awe of her smartness. As in not IQ, but her oh-so-cool quotient, let’s call it CQ (cool quotient). It’s not that I ain’t smart but when I was her age, I couldn’t have thought of navigating through life in the cool way she does.
We are years apart but connect on common interests, ideologies, and values. She’s definitely street smarter.
I enjoy hanging onto every word of hers as she narrates those wildlife stories of hers. She’s a full-on entertainment package. There is never a dull moment around her.
Sometimes, such crazy packages are total mood lifters.
They are just what the doctor ordered.
We laugh till our sides hurt, cracking up on inane things, and eat till we can’t eat any more.
#6 — The After-Effects of Hanging Out With My Way Cooler Friend
Come back with such a carpe diem mentality.
Goals here I come.
Energy- yo, man :)
Enthusiasm — bingo :)
Ebullience — dialled on to the max!
Genuine friends are such a Godsend.
There’s a time and place destined for when you meet someone and forge a friendship for life. A friendship is the most precious relationship that you can have.
Especially w.r.t your joy quotient (JQ) and eagerness to attack life.
