Thank you for the eventful days, even more action-packed nights, the hugs and the sturdy shoulders and incessant tequila shots!

I woke up this morning to a lot of squeeeeeeze hugs, amorous kisses and loads and loads of promises and wishes. They were virtual, alright! But, I did feel all of them deeply and my smile brightened with each one of them. My family has mocked me about one thing all my life. They would say – Ramya, Well, she has a new best friend every year! I would sheepishly smile and say, “Well, they are all so good! There are so many people who I like and they are all so interesting!” It has always been like I have to choose a boyfriend for life, so difficult to choose one best friend. The only difference being, having to choose one boyfriend out of many when all are rotten! And choosing a best friend out of many when all are the best! Yes, I did have a new best friend every year when I was little but in my defense, they were all so incredible. Now, I comfortably settle to numerous best friends and numerous other good friends.It all started with playing ‘helping sisters’ as kids, went on to doing each other’s eye makeup as we grew up, to ‘I broke up with my boyfriend because he doesn’t like you’, sharing the craze for ‘Hrithink Roshan’ at some stage, those long chats on the phone about nothing in particular and then to relentless teenage years when I can declare, I have learnt everything I know, seen everything there is to see (well, almost), and in all Experienced life at large. I can’t express what the word ‘friend’ means in my life. “They have been with me through all the difficult times”, is expressing only one percent of what they have really done for me. I have always had a shoulder to lean on when I was down and a bank account to withdraw from when I was broke. I have had bourno breaks and hot chocolate breaks when it was a stressful day at work and smoke breaks when it had to be bitching about the management at work. I have had long walks in the rain, early morning drives/rides to innumerable places, unbelievable trekking trips, long drives and picnics. There have been the hours and hours of endless chattering and gossip, cups and cups of coffee at CCD, because there would still be something more to be discussed and planned. Then there was the wisdom sharing, the lecturing, the scolding, the analyzing of relationships, first crushes and the first kisses. There were also tricky times which were eased with nightcaps after every heart break and abusing the EXs got every time I cried. I can still hear the voices in my head – “He is not good enough for you” and I inadvertently know he indeed was not good enough. And yet there were some more, who would take me out on Valentines’ day because I didn’t have a boyfriend (sometimes, along with their fuming girlfriends), some who stood by me through all my lies and all my stupidity, some who would listen quietly for hours on end while I chattered, cribbed and complained. Then there were bowls and bowls of maggis at midnights, the pani puris and sandwiches, the movies and the pop corns, the vodkas and the tequilas. There were also vehement shopping trips just to find something to wear that special evening. To top it all, there were also drunken escapades when I was too happy or too sad, singing our favorite songs night on night while we rode on our bikes and the ‘Karoke’ at TDS Thursdays after Thursdays.These had numerous faces, numerous voices, numerous personalities and numerous degrees of influences and numerous teachings. And yet, one thing common between all of them today is they are all mine to keep for a lifetime, all of them, with their differences and indifferences. My life would have never been the same without them and they are inseparable from me, my friends.I may not have kept in touch with some of you’ll, must have said angry words in stressful times, must have not shared some secrets, would have done things that you don’t approve of, but one thing will always remain, I have loved you all and I will always love you, regardless. Thank you for sharing the ‘white’ moments in life when and all was peaceful, for being the ‘blues’ when the truth is all I needed, for adding dashes of ‘pinks’ for fun, and covering all the ‘greys’ when faith is all I wanted. Thank you for all the colors in my life. I am a stronger and better person because of each one of you’ll.