On Friendship Day

On friendship day, I have to thank all my good friends who prop me when I am feeling down. Who share their good news with me because they know I will be happy for them. Who share my craziness with me. Who eat all my experimental food and love it. Who encourage me to write. Who are courteous to my parents. Who can talk to me for hours because they like our conversations. Who remind me of the goodness in me. Who give me an opportunity to be affectionate and hence improve my emotional well-being.

When I think of them, I believe I have been very fortunate when it comes to friends. Sure, I have met people who manipulate and lie, but they are not my friends. And they are not in my life. We choose our friends. And that free will makes relationships so strong. You don't 'have to' anything for your friends, you do it because you want to.

Of course, there are challenges of being 'best friends' in adult life. Sometimes, we judge compatibility based on income, lifestyle, ages of kids. If you are married, it has to be good vibes from four different people, which makes it even more challenging.  Maybe we should judge our compatibility based on our beliefs, our creative pursuits, and common hobbies instead.

I have faith that there are good people in this world. And I want to give them my time. I want to foster an environment that encourages them to let their guard down and confide in me. Let our hair loose and be our silly selves, at least, for a couple of hours. There is always a chance of betrayal. However, I hope that every person values true friendship. Don't be a situational friend. Be a,' Call me when you are in the Emergency Room' friend. But don't abuse that privilege either if you are on the receiving end. 

Why are we friends?

Some of my friends replied:

Soma Basak
Because I like you

Shweta Yadav
Because you are a girl with imagination! And you use that to be creative! That's attractive!

Chandrima Roy
We were classmates and got along well back then and it good to stay connected now too though through FB.  Given a chance, I would definitely meet u.

Tanuka Bhattacharjee
We met for the first time in Dibyendu Sir's house, and we jelled along right from the first meeting. I found you, Jaya and Bijaya to be very simple, jovial and friendly...And gradually started counting all three you among my friends.

Priyanka Mehta
We became FB friends as we all do as a half remembered acquaintances.
We became actual friends as we liked the same things, felt strongly about certain topics and overall loved what the other was excited about.

And then I like your soul, who you are as a person and you're someone I definitely want to have in my life. There's always a flow of beautiful energy full of affection.

Of course, I love your food, makeup, and selfies

Suryatapa Chakravarty
A story a day, that's how it started, ages ago

Saikat Bose
One spring evening, as you ran a high temperature, you decided to venture out in the chill, to witness two wandering souls slowly walking towards each other... As you rolled up your eyes in despair watching the slo-mo action... You decided to kill the guy walking from the other end...   the reason that the guy is still alive and is typing this... shows the souls of dragons are still alive. That's how the dragon souls met.

Sonia Dey
Because you are one of my best critic and that badass personality I am in love with!

Swati Kar
Because u r an independent lady, were a nice senior to me and I love reading ur food blog.

Sejuti Sengupta
Only because we could get drunk on JP Licks's Kahlua ice cream

Raikishori Ganguly
Years ago you showed me two fingers & asked me how many fingers I saw.... You taught me to reflect & nudged me to think beyond the obvious but we were friends long ago... It feels like we were born friends!

Soumyajit Dutta Roy
Let's just say I was a misogynist pig back then (when i was 14 / 15) ..and Raikishori Ganguly and you helped me change that view...

Paramita Paul
Bcoz u r a well wisher and not my enemy

Sudeshna Ghosh
Because you are you!

If I am ever feeling sad, I will always come back to this post to remember how my friends found me. 

Judging the book by its cover

I was talking to a retail employee at Giorgio Armani at Westfield where I asked him the difference between his experiences in retail in Vegas and in Silicon Valley. 

He mentioned that here people walk in wearing their summer shorts and flip flops and buy the most expensive stuff in the store. If anyone is dressed, they are either salesmen or going for an interview. In Vegas, where a lot of people are attending conferences and conventions, most of the customers are shopping for a replacement suit which they had ruined the previous night.

I had to laugh at how true it is. I love to dress up when I go out, but the culture here is definitely not the reason. If you go to Castro Street or Santana Row, you will often see people in sweatpants. Some of them own start-ups and are worth in millions. Yet, when you talk to them, they are like regular people. No airs. Only when you refer to their area of expertise, you realize their capital is their knowledge. 

If I have learned one thing living in this place, it is- never judge a book by its cover.