Friendship: The Beautiful, The Brutal, The Becoming

 

Childhood: The Beautiful

Friendship is a word that means a lot. Doesn’t matter who you are — sometimes your parent is your best friend, sometimes your life partner, sometimes an unknown stranger, and sometimes even your own writing skills. For me, friendship has always been many words, many meanings.

When I was a child, friendship was simple. It was about sharing toys, running barefoot in the lane, and laughing until our stomachs hurt. My first friend was in nursery class, and we stayed together till UKG. We shared lunch, played games, and built small worlds of joy. Those days were simple, innocent, and full of laughter. Childhood friendship taught me the meaning of trust and togetherness in the purest way, and we  promised each other that we would never let anyone else enter our secret palace. Childhood friendship is beautiful because it is innocent, pure, and free of judgment.

But childhood also teaches the first lesson of loss. When my friend’s family moved away when I was ten. I cried for days, realising that sometimes friends leave, not because they want to, but because life pulls them away. That was my first taste of the brutal side of friendship.

Teenage: The Brutal

As I grew, friendship became complicated. It was no longer about marbles and mangoes; it was about secrets, heartbreaks, and identity. I had a group of friends in school who felt like my second family. We shared dreams of becoming doctors, engineers, writers, and even rock stars.

But teenage friendship is brutal because it tests loyalty. One of my closest friends betrayed me by sharing a secret I had trusted him with. That moment shattered me. I realised not all friends protect you; some remind you of your own mistakes.

Yet, even in the brutality, friendship teaches resilience. Meera, another friend, stood by me. She reminded me that betrayal does not define friendship; it only teaches us to value the ones who stay. Teenage friendships are brutal because they show us the cracks in human nature. But they are also beautiful because they prepare us for adulthood.

Adulthood: The Becoming

In my twenties and thirties, friendship transformed. It was no longer about spending every day together; it was about being there when it mattered. Friends became fewer but deeper.

I discovered that adulthood friendships are about becoming. They shape who we are. They guide us when we are lost. They remind us that we are human, with emotions and feelings that need support and guidance.

One of the most powerful friendships I experienced was with my parents. As I grew older, I discovered that my mother was not just my parent but also my best friend. She listened to my fears, celebrated my victories, and guided me when I was wrong. Friendship with parents is unique because it is selfless.

Similarly, my life partner became my friend. Marriage is not just about love; it is about friendship. It is about sharing responsibilities, dreams, and even failures. A life partner who is also a friend makes the journey less lonely and more meaningful.

And then there are the unexpected friendships — the ones with strangers who suddenly become important. I once met a fellow traveller on a train journey. We spoke for hours about life, dreams, and spirituality. That stranger became a friend who inspired me to see the world differently.

The Brutal Lessons of Adulthood

Adulthood also brings brutal lessons. Friends drift apart because of careers, families, or distance. Some friendships fade without reason, leaving behind only memories.

I lost a dear friend in my thirties because of a misunderstanding that we never resolved. That loss taught me that friendship, like life, is fragile. The brutal side of friendship is that it demands effort. Without communication, trust, and forgiveness, even the strongest bonds can break.

But every brutal lesson also teaches us to value the friendships that survive.

Forties: The Realisation

Now, in my forties, I realise that friendship is not about numbers. It is not about having hundreds of contacts or thousands of followers. It is about having a few people who truly care.

I have many friends, but I know that only a handful will stand by me when life tests me. And that is enough. Friendship is not about quantity; it is about quality.

I also realise that being a good parent means being a good friend to your child. A child who grows up with a parent as a friend learns trust, compassion, and selflessness. Friendship is not just between peers; it is also between generations.

Friendship, at its core, is selfless. It is about giving without expecting. It is about guiding without controlling. It is about supporting without conditions.

Epilogue: The Beautiful, The Brutal, The Becoming

Friendship is beautiful because it brings joy, laughter, and love. It is brutal because it tests loyalty, trust, and resilience. And it is becoming because it shapes who we are, guiding us through every stage of life.

From childhood forts to teenage secrets, from adulthood responsibilities to the wisdom of the forties, friendship has been my constant companion. Sometimes in the form of parents, sometimes in the form of a life partner, sometimes in the form of strangers, and sometimes even in the form of my own writing skills.

Friendship is not one word; it is many words. It is laughter, tears, betrayal, forgiveness, guidance, support, and selflessness. It is the thread that weaves our emotions into stories.

And in the end, friendship is the story of being human. Because without friends — whether parents, partners, strangers, or even our own inner voice — we cannot survive. We need support, guidance, and love. We need friendship.

Friendship is the beautiful, the brutal, and the becoming. And it is the story I carry with me, always.

Author’s Note

Friendship has always been the thread that ties my life together — from childhood forts to adulthood responsibilities, from laughter to betrayal, from parents to strangers. Writing this story was not just about fiction; it was about reflecting on my own journey.

For me, friendship is selfless. It is about guiding without controlling, supporting without expecting, and loving without conditions. Sometimes it is beautiful, sometimes brutal, but always becoming — shaping us into who we are meant to be.

As a writer, I also find friendship in words. My writing skills have often been my companion, helping me express emotions that are too heavy to carry alone. This story is a reminder that friendship is not one word but many words, not one bond but many bonds, and not one journey but many journeys.

Life is not always easy. Sometimes we find ourselves stuck in very wrong paths, situations where no one can help us out. I remember a time when I felt completely lost. No friend, no family member could pull me out of that darkness.

As a spiritual person, I believe in Premanand Ji. His words, his guidance, have always touched me. One day, when I was struggling, I suddenly saw a reel of his video. It felt like he was speaking directly to me, guiding me out of my situation. That moment was magical. It was as if friendship had taken a new form — a spiritual guide who became my best friend when I needed it most.

Friendship is not always about people you meet every day. Sometimes it is about someone who appears in your life through a video, a book, a reel, and suddenly changes your path. That guidance, that light, is also friendship.

Friendship as Selflessness

What I realised is that friendship is selfless. It is not about what you get, but about what you give. My daughter gives me her trust, her honesty, her laughter. Premanand Ji gives me his wisdom, his guidance, his spiritual strength. And I give them my love, my support, my presence.

Friendship is not about fun times only. It is about being there when no one else is. It is about guiding someone when they are lost. It is about becoming someone’s strength when they are weak.

Friendship is not just about fun times, parties, and chit-chat. It is about walking together on the same path, sharing emotions, guiding each other through wrong turns, and becoming light in darkness.

For me, my daughter is my best friend. Premanand Ji is my best friend. Even my own writing skills are my friend. Friendship is everywhere, in every bond, in every guidance, in every selfless act.

And that is why friendship is the beautiful, the brutal, and the becoming.

For me, friendship at this stage of life is all about self-love, care, and being a positive person. But being positive does not mean being foolish. It means knowing your limits, protecting your values, and still offering kindness to others. Friendship is about balance — giving love and care, but also keeping your own heart safe.

I have realised that sometimes the best friend you can have is yourself. When you trust your intuition, you guide yourself through difficult paths. When you respect your own way, you become stronger. And when you practice self-love, you attract friendships that are pure and honest.

Friendship is not only about the people around you; it is also about the relationship you build with your own soul. If you are kind to yourself, if you forgive yourself, if you encourage yourself, then you are already living with a best friend inside you. That inner friendship helps you face the brutal parts of life and become stronger.

So, at this time, friendship for me is not about numbers or parties. It is about self-love, care, respect, and positivity. It is about trusting myself, my intuition, and my way. It is about walking forward without compromising who I am. That is the friendship I choose — the friendship with myself, which makes me a better friend to others too.

Shades of Friendship

In every phase of life, friendship carries different shades. As children, it is about games, sharing lunch, and laughing without reason. In teenage years, it becomes about secrets, dreams, and sometimes heartbreak. In adulthood, friendship shifts again — fewer people, deeper bonds, and guidance when we are lost.

No one can truly say what is right or wrong in friendship. Sometimes we laugh together, sometimes we cry, sometimes we share things that no one else knows. Friendship is not about perfection; it is about presence. It is about being there in moments of joy and in times of pain.

The beauty of friendship is that it changes with us. It grows, it breaks, it heals, and it becomes something new in every stage. What matters is not how long it lasts, but how deeply it touches our hearts.

So, enjoy every moment of friendship. Whether it is short or lifelong, whether it is beautiful or brutal, it always teaches us something. Friendship is about living with emotions, trusting the bond, and celebrating the journey. In the end, friendship is not just about others — it is also about becoming a better version of ourselves.