TREE OF LOVE

Friends forever,friends lost never.
Thick or Thin, I wish you come as a souvenir…
These were the songs of an eternal bond we two used to hum together. Down the memory lane I can see an evocative girl with curly hair, looking like a doll waiting for me at the classroom door. I felt so special with those little gestures of care. Hand in hand ,we used to hop like birds on school pavements and stairs.
     She was the one who taught me lessons of calmness and tolerance and I being  the one whose fuse will go off at the drop of the hat. Once having lost face by a teacher, I was left fuming. Sweety came from back to consol me .No sooner did she touched my shoulder than I turned and slapped her in front of all. Later I cried profusely. Had it been some other girl, she would have never come back but sweety’s image was flickering in my teary eyes soon after. I still remember her phlegmatic composure and her words “don’t be sad, we will complain to the principal’ and I ironically spurted out “as if everyone is here to listen to us”. Then comes the heartrending confession of an innocent soul, “yes! Because we are so timid and small in stature, nobody cares for us”. There were many such hang-ups which loomed high on the two timid girls and foremost being not taken seriously due to their tiny size. Time rubbed off wariness of our growing years and we gradually evolved into above average girls in all respect. All throughout she was a real soulmate for me .Our parents conferred us amusingly ‘Two bodies, one soul’.
     We were looking forward to never never land’s dreams come true in form of marriage! I did hear that friends are never like before post marriage. The humdrum of life takes toll on everyone.I was a complete denial for all that. I always bumped into my best friend whenever I was in town and we two used to soak in the syrupy memories of the old school days still blaming ourselves for being so timid. Even Sweety was married and I rejoiced all ceremonies to the hilt. We thought now we will have enough lady stuff to gossip and not wander in yesteryear’s lanes least thinking that those years were the happiest to cherish.
   Since then things were never like before and I could sense that stark difference from day one. She made occasional visits to me in first few years of marriage and I found her missing on her natural self. Her flambouncy was diminishing and so were her visits. Though we never forget to wish each other on birthday’s, a habit inculcated over past twenty two years ,the excitement of celebration is no more. Being subconsciously aware of crisis in her life which she is not ready to share, I just pray to god to give her happiness back and in return give my long lost doll back. She is the lone souvenir of my chirpy childhood, blushing youth and evergreen adulthood. The following quote on friendship helps me resurrect my hopes in my friend ‘Friends are like stars even if they are far we know they are there for us.’ by : mridula singh