The Underrated Relation

Khoon ka rishta nahi magar dil main bastay ho

The most beautiful gift that life can throw at you is the company of sincere friends. If you were asked to rank relationships and their importance, one is most likely to place the bond of friendship at the very end of the list. Relationships related to blood and romantic love outshine the simple gift of having friends. Hence, one is to assume that it is relatively irrelevant considering the complexity of life. But I think this relationship remains hugely undervalued and underappreciated.
The concept of friendships is super cute if you look at it from a different lens. From all the people you are surrounded by, those you interact with on regular basis, you suddenly decide that these specific people are to be your companions. The ones you would look forward to meeting every other day. You stayed together, without the constraints of blood or physical attraction that defines other relationships you may know. You cannot pinpoint one reason, but the mutual determination from both sides to form the union acted as the fuel to keep it going.
Friends can look beyond the masks you put in various circumstances to notice the little things that you may wish to keep hidden. They are there for each other. If you identify the lack of energy from someone, the next day, the same person notices the sadness in your eyes and asks about your well-being. Related to eyes, there’s a rare spark that you can spot when you finally meet your friend. It is as if your eyes reveal the excitement and blissfulness associated with merely coming face to face with the familiar soul in front of you. Often caught scratching my head with the options in front of me, the joy of elaborating on the possibilities and opportunities with someone who knows your goals remains unprecedented. A part of you knows what is the right decision, but the clouds of doubt make it a tough ask. Then, your friend acts as the one solving the jigsaw puzzle. After discussing the matter in detail, pros and cons elaborated, the constant companion first reassures with renewed hope that everything will be alright. Later, fits all the pieces together, presenting the image without the barriers that once made it translucent.
Unlike a superficial movie, even here, there are gloomy days. There are prolonged durations of slow dips, where life gets to the best of us. Next, followed by days where life becomes monotonous and time slows down with boredom engulfing the state of life. After all these prolonged times, days arrive where occasional triumphs are welcomed with open arms. Despite the diverse nature of each state, with friends, there are unique experiences associated with every period. In sorrow, you find someone who can lighten the burden. Lend a shoulder to cry on or a hand to tackle the obstacle together. Even in this fast-paced world where you are taught that emotions are to be hidden, you find the courage to reveal your vulnerable side to a friend dear to you. The reason is that you know the other would not mock this honesty but rather empathize and validate your emotions. As far as boredom is concerned, there was once a post I received from a friend that summed up the whole situation. One could be doing nothing, but still, find happiness in the company of a special friend. Triumphs and achievements have significantly reduced as I grew older, but the happiness depicted by friends on your milestones, only makes the breakthrough sweeter than before. While one of you may be climbing the stairs of success, the rest celebrate as if it is their victory. The excitement in their eyes, the energy with which they speak, and the kind words only show how much it meant to them.
At the end of the day, we all have experiences in friendships that were bitter. They may have made you ponder your effort and commitment to such relationships. But beyond all that sorrow, remember the time when simply talking to a specific person meant the world to you! Yes, friendships do fade away at times. But at the end of the day, I pray that may you find yourself surrounded by a group of friends that makes you celebrate who you are and make you feel the gem of a person you are!