They say, if a friendship lasts for 7 years, it’s likely to last forever.
Three years ago, I spoke to her for the first time ever. And that day, something inside me told me this is going to be a good run. With her. 3 months later we stepped in to begin a new journey together. We got on a Delhi – Chennai flight that was going to change our lives forever but we didn’t know that then. From the nonstop chattering during that flight to every single day at B-school, whether we were fighting (which we’d mastered the art of) or we were laughing our guts out at the most inconsequential things, we knew this was different. This woman’s been my best friend, my worst enemy, my mirror, my sister, my roommate, my inspiration and my worst nightmare all in one. She’s given me some of the most memorable days in life, and yet some of the most defining. Her strength, her attitude, her character, her weaknesses and her apprehensions make her who she is today. And am I glad to have met her!
We’ve fought like kids and patched up with hysterical laughter. We crib and cry and piss each other off, but she is and will remain a crucial part of me. Always.
Deepika Solanki, if there’s anything I want in life it’s to see you achieve all that you’ve desired. And I can promise you this one thing – I’m going to be right there every step of the way. To fight your fears with you, and squash them to the ground. To give you that tight bear hug when you need one. To show you the mirror when that’s required. To travel the world with you when you need to let your hair down. And to kiss your ass when you act like an idiot. But most of all, to tell you how amazing you are and how you inspire me even when we don’t talk for months at a stretch.
God bless you, you brilliant thing!