How do we make
friends?
What are the
criteria?
Do we see the face
or other physical characteristics?
Or the money or
education matters?
Let’s find out…
The big schools of
the cities have children studying from various big households. People who are
well-off send their kids to the biggest and the most renowned schools of the
city. I don’t know which category of the society we fall under but yeah, my
daughter, who is just five, is studying in a comparatively good school. A few
days back when I went to take my daughter back from the school, I saw her
waving to a little girl from the car’s window, who lived in a small kuchcha
house (house made up of gravel and sand) just next to the school. Her parents
perhaps are the masons - basically a labor-class family (I personally hate the
term but it is for the Indians who say it with elan). When I asked my daughter
about who that girl was and why was she waving her hand to her, she (with a
tone of obviousness)
said to me “mamma, she is my friend”. I was a little surprised but then I asked
her what her name was which with a little innocence she replied “I don’t know,
I only know is that she is my friend”. I didn't understand exactly what her criterion of making this friend was, however, whatever criterion it could have
been, it did make me feel proud.
Friends, don’t we
all try to make friends with people of particular status or the ones who fit
our chosen criterion? And that is what we teach our children to do so. Why
can’t we let them free to make friends of their own choice, with whom they feel
good, with the ones that make them feel like themselves? Why should there be
any kind of restriction in choosing and making friends too? Friends are the
ones who show you the right way towards life, either by ditching you and making
you learn some crucial lessons of life or by standing by your side making you
learn crucial lessons of life! Any which way, they help you learn the same
things. Let everyone be free to choose whoever friend they want to make. Let
them learn their own lessons their own ways. Let them know the value of having
friends.
There are
different kinds of friends that come and go and stay as per the requirement of
life stages. A smile friend (as my daughter has), a hello friend, a bye-bye
friend, an all-the-time-crying friend, an all-the-time-grinning friend, a phone
friend, a distant friend, a famous friend, a boasting friend, a stylish friend,
an intelligent friend, a stupid friend, just-one-call-away friend, a
never-will-pick-my-call friend, an all-time-enthusiastic friend, an
I-care-a-damn friend and the list goes on and on. You must be having one of
each kind and should have for all types of situation. Know that your life is
incomplete without making friends. Have more of them and enjoy your life with
different angles.
Tell all your
friends what is their type and why are they important to you and see for
yourself what happens.
Dedicated to all
my friends. You all have been crucial in shaping my life.
Love
Sonam
