Dishika Zaman 

School is like our second home. We grow up learning things, socialize with people we never knew in our life before. Soon they become the persons we value the most. They become our partners in everything –from sharing food to doing almost all kinds of mischiefs. They know us well just as we know them from their hair to bones.
No matter how many new friends come into our lives, these school friends remain in our life till the end. I’ve had hundreds of friends, sweetest classmates and only a few closest mates. There is something about these particular people you have grown together. There is an exceptional bond that is created over time. One that is formed only by spending a lifetime of time alongside each other. It’s like magic –this bond we share, no matter how many ups and downs and no matter that we fall out with each other from time to time; they always remain close to our heart.
We trust them because they are like second family. We cannot choose our family, but we can choose our friends. We can choose who we want to stay lifetime with, who we can trust to share everything. They understand you more than anything like your family does. I’ve been loved by my best friends’ families, they think I’m good for their girls just as they are good for me. Just like that, growing up together makes them a family we get to choose and trust and share the warmth of love.
In a family, members do not just know each other. They have shared their life together. They know what the best is for each other. And just as family, we want it for our best friend and us as well. We want it for each other despite of anything. We know what is in our hearts and we do not feel stranger when we share our thoughts. We cannot but trust them as our family as we have done so much with them. They are the most intimate person for us to get along with.
The memories that we slowly built together as we grow up has so many fresh experiences. Whether it is the first day at school or the first date, we were there living the moment with our best friend. And then at a moment we can still hold our hands and realize that we have left those far behind, we know that moment that we are friends for life. Only life-long friends fall together in the way of life but their friendship never gets old. These are the special histories that bonds us. Even if we have a little argument and stopped talking for a while, we both know that these memories will bring us back together. When things fall apart, we know that the other will stand by us and help us rebuilt things.
My friends are now in different educational institutions. It’s not possible for us to meet once a month let alone every day. But we have known each other for so long, that we do not need words to express what we are feeling when we meet. We know what to do at the certain moment. At the time when tragedy occurs, we do not have to be told to come and be present at each other’s’ sides. We will get to their door, as soon as we can. There are times when we had shared some happy moments, so why would we not be there by their sides when tragedy occurs. We have known each other forever because we have cared for each other enough to be there at the times of joy and needs.
Whether we have to make each other laugh until it hurts or to stand up there when no one else did, we always had each other’s back. We picked each other because we had the reason to. And it does not matter how older we get, the fundamental reasons never leave our friendship. Truly, it is a great joy to sit with an old friend and talking about the good old days. Sometimes laughing hard and spilling coffee when talking about those exquisite memories. Nothing is more beautiful than the memories that you have shared, the days you have passed through sadness and happiness.
In the time of those enormous moments of our formative years, we have always found our best friends supporting us. Whether it is a death of any dear family, or the graduation, it was an important part that we shared. There are yet more to happen, but we will know that both of us will still go on holding our hands together. This quality of friendship is only for life with a lot to be said about it. It took care and time and so many histories to be built. Truly, it is a very special and rare gift anyone can ever have.
What is important, is the differences that peeps in between the similarities that we have. Times of change will affect our friendship inevitably but we have to learn to hold on. We have to learn to let the long term friendship flourish. We have to learn from our differences and encourage each other to support. It is the differences that make the friendship strong, as it teaches us to value each other’s thoughts and wishes. It is priceless to have someone by your side for that period of your lifetime.
They say that nothing in the world is permanent, but that is not true. Because things might come and go with the ups and downs of life, but that one thing that will never change are the friends we have grown together with. Honestly, they are the person being with us in our kitty pajamas, when we hit our puberty or when we finally become professionals. They have been there and through all transformations. They have never judged us to save us from pretending. They are the proof that no matter whatever is wrong; life is not that bad after all. Because you are not alone in your messed up life. You have shared those mischiefs and got into trouble in your school life. So, when you are in trouble while dealing with real life, you can laugh out loud and embarrass life itself with your dearest friend. If you forget your roots and lose tracks, they will always bring you back. They also make you introspect instead of being fun and larking around. Because they help you pick up right where you left off.