Monday, March 30, 2015

We Are Together In This Journey

As one era of life comes to an end, and a very different life stage beckons, my heart is heavy with nostalgia though eyes are full of dreams and hopes. 

My student life has been extremely kind to me in terms of friends- my path has always been strewn with some gems who have made it all ever so much more pleasant and memorable. This post is to express my gratitude to all those friends of mine who have stood with me in difficult times and inspired in me the strength to go on.

I moved to Mumbai, the city of dreams, from Delhi, the city of my dreams, 2 years back for higher studies in TISS. Though the city was extremely open and kind, people in my immediate vicinity were not and adjustment issues with flatmates soon escalated into what I now see as the worst phase of my life. At flat and at college I was met with cold stares and hostile remarks by people who had not bothered to find out my side of the story, and combined with fretting over a personal crisis of a family member, overwhelming academic demands and minor hassles of daily life that come up when you are living on your own in a new city, I spiraled downwards by and by into the clutches of depression. That I managed to keep my academic standing above a certain standard is a miracle of sorts. And it couldn't have been achieved without the support of a few close friends who have now become a very important part of my TISS Story. Ritesh, Avtarnika, Vaidehi and Shazia- you already know that I refer to you :)


As the saying goes "it's the company that matters more than the advice" and it was the company of these people that always infused me with fresh hope and strength to keep going. It is difficult to pick out any one of such inspiring moment together for there are so many- some with individuals and some together. In train while travelling to fieldwork with Vaidehi, in library with Ritesh, at hostel with Shazia for last few days of 2nd semester and with Avtarnika at her place where I was an extremely lazy guest :D And all together so many times in the Dining Hall :) All  extremely precious.

One particularly precious memory that comes to mind- one of the best of my time in TISS- is the one of all 5 of us together going to gorge on Pancham Puriwalla's thalis. 



The long cab ride, watching sunset together and discussing future hopes and apprehensions, the endless eating, the jokes and future advice, the long walk to KitaabKhana and the unending return cab-ride that allowed us to share so much with each other! It was a great day and I'm glad we finally were able to put everything aside and go out together, for it will remain a moment that filled me with gratitude for the past, with all its ups and downs, and inimitable optimism for the future, for I know, we will always be #together :) Isn't life great when we can count on the support of some reliable forces? Ask me, it is.

1 comment:

  1. Such days with friends make our day. Lovely way to bring cheer to dull days.

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