But I Smile Anyway…

Friends.

The brothers and sisters we choose for ourselves.

Those who don’t stick with us because they have to, but because they actually want to!

I pride myself on being a friendly, approachable person. It does me well in life in general, but in my job too. This way, I manage to accumulate many acquaintances, too many for me to profess a feeling of love for!

My friends range from those I met at school all those years ago, to university pals, wok colleagues, old and new, and mummy friends. Not forgetting the all important blog pals I have!

But there are those that I have a deep feeling of love for. Not romantic, or anything like that… not friends with benefits (I have a husband, you know, and he is lovely!)

My closest friend is one I met at university. It will be 24 years in October since we met, and our lives became entwined.

Nadia. My darling sister from another mother.  I have written about her here, but this was long ago.

Our friendship was a bit of a shocker to some.

A Sikh girl and a Muslim girl… best friends while in the walls of our university, there were ‘wars’ occurring between the Punjabi Society and the Islamic Society. But that mattered not a jot to us. We were two young Asian girls, thrown together in a situation neither had been in, where we were given the freedom to live alone, and the trust to enjoy life but to be ‘good’!

We were studying the same course too, which helped forge our friendship. Ask Nadia now, and she still says that we met as I chatted her up by the pigeon holes!

But we spent 4 years living in the same halls, then the same student houses. She was privy to my innermost secrets, personal, family, everything. As I was to hers.

I was welcomed with open arms to her parents home in the holidays, and I gained a whole new family, with an older brother, three more sisters, and a wonderful surrogate set of parents! And this was echoed for her when she would come and visit me!

After qualifying, we went our separate ways geographically, but that doesn’t mean we were to be separated. What are phones for, eh!

Despite being in separate towns, our bond remained strong. She was a key person in my wedding, staying with me for a whole week beforehand, and it was her (my) sister who did my henna too!.

All through our friendship at university, and beyond, I just wanted to see her happy, to fall in love with a guy who would worship her and give her all the love she deserved. It didn’t happen straight away, but just a few years ago, I was so happy to be there by my sister’s side, for a whole week, to celebrate her wedding!

This is one friend who I love with all my heart. That friend who, even if we don’t speak for weeks on end, will be there at the drop of a hat for me, and vice versa. After a long break of not talking our conversations are never stilted, it’s like we just take up where we left off!

I hope that everyone has a friend like this. One you know will be with you forever. ❤

A shining light
A beacon
Always there
Through thick and thin

More sibling
Than friend
Wiping tears
Making you grin

Your partner
In crime
Your conscience
in life

Sometimes
Causing trouble
Others, saving you
From strife

A soul you need
beside you
Your best friend
You have found

A soulmate
Of a different kind
To keep your feet
Firmly on the ground

Ritu 2017

Love you Nadi ❤

Remember, feel free to take part in #Loveuary! Just ping back to the daily post, as in this one for today! And if you are at a loss for a prompt, then visit my rules post here for a list of prompt suggestions!