My friend

"Standing in front of the glass door at mid-noon

When the sun reaches the center,

I see my reflection

And I stare back at my shadow."

"A friend is like a reflection and a shadow. A reflection of your conscience and a shadow of your inner self.

An invisible tie that binds hearts together...requires no words, no explanations- a mere stare is enough, a silence that reverberates with a zillion thoughts and messages, which thousands of spoken words cannot behold.

No ties of blood, no ties of family, no ties of the world, no rules, no timings, no conditions, yet can sense that beat of the other when in pain, rejoices in the joy in equal fervor for each other.

It took me years to find them or rather they found me-it can be any way round.

A friend as a shadow, maybe, not always seen, but can always be felt: your back, your strength, an invisible shade where you can always rest after a hard day's labor.

Your complaints are heard and understood, never judged, and never misunderstood

A mirror that reflects your exact self: can speak to your face, point out your vulnerabilities, rebuke for your mistakes, complain of anything under the sun.

Go for long walks, unending chats, unfiltered laughter till your stomach aches, gorge on food by the roadside, share secrets, have late-night chats, enjoy infrequent rides by the road, share popcorn while watching films, and celebrate birthday parties at restaurants. Every memory has to be treasured for life, every happy moment to be relived, notwithstanding the intermittent fights which further strengthen this bond of love.

Some friends get lost on the way, some stay for life. Those who stay are meant forever. Some friends are met along the way. They meet you to make your journey less painful and shower you with that unexpected and forgotten happiness that gets lost on the way...

We rediscover ourselves through them, our hidden aspects that we never knew even existed.

Childhood memories of friends are full of frolicking joy, unadulterated laughter, screeching fights, rolling under the sun, those hide and seek and hopscotch...

We cannot go back in time but those days of fun make us what we are today.

I still remember we would hide behind a well or at the corner of a house in our neighborhood while playing hide and seek. Those days are lost now. Houses are replaced with mammoth buildings, and wells are no more to be seen, but they are still etched in my memory.

I cherish and feel blessed to have a small group of very close friends. They make my life more meaningful and happy.

By Nandini Sengupta

@metaphors_of_life