Shared Lunches To Lifelong Memories: The Timeless Bond Of Childhood Friendships

What is the biggest fear in our lives? To be left all alone in this world. We all grow up surrounded by relationships that nurture us, our parents, grandparents, uncles, and aunts teach us lifelong lessons and help shape us into who we become. One relationship, however, where both people grow together, is friendship.

Just like family, our friends play a crucial role in our lives. Childhood friends, with all their innocence and nostalgia, hold a special place in our hearts. At the stage of life when we meet them, our only identity is being a student in a particular class. Friendships begin with sharing the same school bus, bunking classes, passing chits during lectures, and arguing over who gets the better part of a lunchbox, the delicious food, or the plain roti-sabzi.

Back then, when I was a child, I would bond with my friends over our shared love for television. My family, being strict, didn’t allow me to watch daily soaps. Still, we would excitedly discuss the plot twists of those serials while finishing our lunchboxes. Even now, when I catch a repeat telecast of those shows, I’m transported back to those moments, when we would huddle together to dissect the latest episode and gush over Arnav Singh Raizada.

Somehow, I feel that the evolution of the content we watched as kids to what we consume now accurately reflects how our lives have changed. Back then, we had that one favourite show we’d patiently watch for half an hour, even if it meant sitting through over fifteen minutes of ads. Now, we can barely finish a show and instantly skip it the moment it gets boring. In a way, this mirrors how our efforts in nurturing friendships have changed, more patient and committed then, more fleeting and selective now.

The Timeless Bond Of Childhood Friendships

Nowadays, even LinkedIn insists we add a designation to our profile. Back then, the titles we gave each other were more fun and genuine: topper, bookworm, teacher's pet, sports champ, foodie, debate enthusiast, tech nerd, art genius, and whatnot. We learned early that not all five fingers are the same, and despite our different talents and quirks, we could still be the best of friends.

Nowadays, we consider a lot of things when we make friends. We consider their habits, their way of communicating, their social status, or even the universities they attended. That explains why we used to call the ones from our childhood our 'friends', and people we meet in adulthood our 'colleagues.'

Sometimes I wonder why we cherish childhood friendships more. Maybe it’s because, back then, we didn’t choose friends based on how aesthetic or successful they were. We bonded over the shared trauma of homework, last-minute projects, and surprise tests. The happiest days were birthdays, when we could wear civil dress, distribute chocolates to teachers, and sit beside our favourite people. Good friends always got an extra candy. That joy can't be replaced by a fancy café meetup today.

Recently, my mother reconnected with her school friends. Growing up around her, I rarely saw her with close companions, as her world always revolved around work and home. But when she met her childhood friends after 20 years, the connection was instant, as if no time had passed. Watching that reunion only deepened my belief in the magic of childhood friendships. 

As kids, we often fantasised about growing up quickly. We believed adulthood meant we’d meet our friends often and go on vacations together. Visiting a friend’s house used to be a big deal, especially if they lived far away. Now, even though social media has made everyone just a click away, we hesitate to send that first hi. 

This Friendship Day, send a hi to your childhood friend and relive those good old days with them. As people may change over time, but memories won't. 

Views expressed by the author are their own.