Friendship

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This blog entry is not an accounting of a day in the life of Marni in India...or perhaps it is. But this is more a day in the life of Marni's thoughts as I sit on buses, trains and planes across India.

Recently I have begun to ponder this word "friend". It seems that when you travel on your own, this word takes on a new meaning. For instance, a person you meet on the bus as a fellow "foreigner" soon becomes a good enough friend to share a rickshaw ride, and maybe even a hotel with. This same friend is later mentioned in stories you share with other travelers a few weeks later as you account stories you have from cities they might be traveling to. They have become friends, as indelible from your memory as those you have spent years cultivating at home.

And then it strikes me, that there is usually a point in a relationship with a "friend" that they truly become a friend-worthy enough for you to share your dreams, hopes and desires with. At some point-either before or after-that "friend" is let into your past, by sharing some piece of your history that has changed you or you have grown from. At this point, the word "friend" means something very different.

And then there is another point in time, when that friend is one that you know will remain a part of your life, rather than just your memory.

And while I could not be obtuse enough to believe that I know what that point is for anyone, including myself; what I do know is that I am extraordinarily grateful for those moments in time, when friendship is cultivated through common experience, shared conversations, and life.

And so, as I have probably had many of those moments with all who are reading this blog, I thank you for the gift of your friendship...whether you be a friend, colleague, or family.

Much love from Udaipur,
Marni

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