Friendship - then, now, forever.

It's International Friendship Day tomorrow and although I'm not big on celebrating such 'days', here's a special post written for a BlogAdda contest, details of which can be found here. And check out the sponsors - Pringoo.com - they have a great variety of personalized goodies you can order online!

At first I thought, what can I possibly say about friendship that's not been said before, but when I pondered, I realized everyone has something unique to say about this special relationship that is one of the most important in life. So here's my take:

Friendship is simple. Not like love.
It is not blind; it sees everything: builds on the strengths, improves and even eliminates the weaknesses.

Friendship is independent of superficial things like looks and status. Not like love.

Friendship heals broken hearts.

Friendship is that adorable toothless grin that babies exchange with each other; a grin so similar to the one they'll have when they're old and toothless again.
It is that first precarious attempt of a toddler to interract with another on the first day of school.
It is the comfort that a child discovers outside of his home.
Friendship is the shared bar of chocolate that tastes twice as sweet.
It is the lunchtimes spent digging into each others' plates, chattering away, joking, teasing, laughing.
It is the conspiring look that passes between eternal partners in crime.
It is the quick help delivered when one is in trouble; and it is the assurance of having someone by your side even when the whole world is against you.
Friendship is the long phone call made right upon reaching home after an entire day at school/college together. It is the long-distance phone call made later in life when you're apart, but still keep in touch, expensive billing rates be damned.
It is the private joke that evokes raucous laughter even years afterward; it is the non-veg text messages and email forwards shared years before you're officially adults.

Friendship is farewell scribbles on the insides of school and college yearbooks; and it is an endless stream of Facebook wall posts.

Friendship is getting high on life. And doing crazy things together that you'll never forget.

Friendship is the peaceful silence that is just as amicable as an animated conversation.

Friendship is arguing and falling out and getting mad at each other freely, 'coz you know that none of it will actually affect your bond. If anything, it will pull you closer still.

Friendship is speaking your mind and trusting that the other will appreciate it.
Friendship is lying to save each other's butts; and it is taking the blame even when you didn't do anything at all.
Friendship is receiving punishment together for talking too much and disrupting the class; it is laughing uncontrollably later on when you're let off.
Friendship is shared pairs of clothes, and stationery and make-up; it is poring over magazines together, trying to figure out what the hell is going on with your body during teenage.
Friendship is singing and dancing together without any inhibition; and it is talking about periods and boobs and penises and vaginas without a trace of embarassement.

Friendship is giggling over crushes and love letters; and cussing and haranguing about that bitch/asshole who broke your heart.
Friendship is laughing outrageously when someone gets a pimple just before a date, then promptly proceeding to convince and assure them that it isn't really that noticeable.

Friendship is the road trip taken together, singing yourselves hoarse on the way. It is knowing what the other wants to say without any exchange of words.

Friendship is impromptu little gifts, given for no reason at all; and surprise visits and calls even when you're very busy with your own life.
Friendship is plates of junk food, bought in bulk and gulped down while cutting class at college. It is the doodles and written conversations that adorn the back pages of your notebooks.

Friendship is grainy old photographs, frozen in time, and snazzy new ones, all cherished just the same. Friendship is sharing in embarrassments and keeping secrets from the world.
Friendship is video chats that last for hours and IM conversations about nothing at all. 'Hey wassup? Nothing. You say. Nothing. I'm bored, yaar. Me too. So wassup?'
Friendship is showing each other the right way; and it is being honest even when it hurts.
It may last an eon or a season, but it is always cherished. It is like a steaming cup of your favorite beverage - always just as good as ever.

Friendship is knowing someone a little or a lot, but loving them just the same. Friendship is talking now and then or every day but caring just the same.
Friendship is not meeting for days or weeks or even years, yet being able to pick up exactly where you left off.
Friendship is being miles apart yet still safe in each other's hearts.

Friendship is your anchor in times of trouble or need; it is what you turn to at 2.a.m. when you can't sleep, for whatever reason.

Friendship is what you get when you multiply love and care, and divide problems and stress. It is what you get when you add happiness and subtract sorrow from the complex equation of life. It is the covalent bond that does not split easily, it is the force that pulls even the most different or the most similar people together.

Friendship is being there even when you're not needed; it is resisting the urge to say 'I told you so'. It is giving hope and courage and faith and love and compassion, unconditionally, selflessly. It is putting your ego aside and mending things when repairs are needed. Friendship is a shoulder to lean on, and an ear to listen; friendship is sticking together despite the differences.

Friendship is life; it must be respected, cherished, protected, and most importantly -enjoyed.

It may hurt sometimes, but it is also the balm to its own pain.

It must evolve, yet stay the same. It must adjust, but not snap.

It trespasses age and gender and creed and lingo. It is the universal language, understood by all, explained by none.

Friendship is all we really have in this world when family let us down.

Friendship Quotes | Forward this Graphic

To my friends, old and new; to those I've met and those I know only through the internet, even to those I've fallen out of touch with, Happy Friendship Day. You're all my most precious blessings from God.

Touch wood.