Sleep overs and friendship
1995 is a memorable year end for me as it marked the beginning of a lifelong friendship with my dearest friend Sowmya. It was not just friendship between us but today proudly i can say it is a family friendship of 3 generations, foundation stone laid by us over a week long sleepover that i enjoyed in the warmth of their family in the cold Delhi/ Faridabad winter.
Between 1994 to 1997 the ICS gang was formed consisting of 3 girls and 2 boys. The cricket world cup matches of 1996 can never be forgotten as our so called "group study" schedules were planned based on the matches. The 5 of us were inseparable those 3 years when we studied BCom. We all went to the same tuition and there blossomed our friendship which had just pure fun and laughter. Sleepover in the name of group study was a norm and we hardly sought permission from family members. We certainly would inform in whose house we would study. Mostly it would be Prasad's house where uncle and aunty would wake up several times at night to tell us to study and not just laugh. Hots cups of coffee, tea and special bournvita for me (as till date I don't drink coffee) was served with so much love that it brings tears to my eyes today.
There is some magic in the bonds of friendship that is cemented during sleepovers. After nearly 25 years I can confidently say that though i may not talk to these friends daily but I can reach out to them anyday anytime and laugh or cry in exactly the same way i did then. Nothing has changed inspite of marriage and kids and moving between different cities. Letting one's hair down, talking nonsense and sharing crazy ideas just made those days so pure and memorable. None of us ever made any friendship promise nor did we worry about the future. There are hardly any photographs of those precious days, but the photographs in my mind can never be erased.
Today, my son returns from a week long sleepover with his friends, and my daughter is enjoying a sleepover at home with her friend. Prayers that both continue to enjoy pure friendship just as I have with mine.
If any of you have any sceptical thoughts about permitting your kids to have sleepover please rethink. Do not rob them of this fun in life. Academic lessons may and will never be remembered, but these nights of fun and friendship and bonding can never be forgotten and give lifelong strength.
Do share your sleepover stories, am eager to read.
Awww.... 🥰🥰 Indeed.. The combo of sleepovers, snacks, gossip, laughter and tears defy made for a lifetime bond between us and all our dear ones! I can't thank Revs Aunty enough for that 🥰Ofcourse we were totally 'sleepless in the sleepover' .. That only amma appa know and still can't believe how we could go on and on talking through the nights 😆😆. "Apdi ennedaan pesuvelo dii raatri muzzhukaa!!???" they would exclaim! 😛 😂
ReplyDeleteMy 'saparivaar sleepless sleepover sans our men' at your place in B'lore 2014 proved nothing had changed at all even after the decades. Infact gen next got to bond for the first time over their own lil sleepover in the kids room... Made it so much more memorable! 🥰🥰
Heres to the nights that turned Into mornings, with friends that turned Into family!!!! 🥰🥰 🥂 Love you....
Really enjoyed reading. Sleepover ,chatting, giggling, sharing is life time sweet memories without selfie and pizzas. To recall the same is happiness and there will be special movie songs too. I am happy for the cemented bonding. Cheers.
ReplyDeleteLove you aunty... Ur Now like My 'periamma'... by a mere day😉😉! 🥰🥰
DeleteIt was actually wake over... mostly the adda continued almost till 3 am....so many memories during school, collage days as well as during bachelor life in Delhi. My small house in Kolkata during the year 1995 and 1996 was a permanent sleepover for many of my friends as my family had already shifted to Delhi since I had to stay back to complete my studies... hardly remember spending any money or putting any effort for my lunch and dinner during these years...friends (and their family) took care of it. सुनहरी यादें
ReplyDeleteWonderful write up Vidhya! You just took me down the memory lane... those three years of pure friendship is forever etched in my heart till date... cannot thank enough to the divine to have bought such fabulous souls into my life then... best part of this relationship is that you can pick it up from wherever you gave left it and can still continue with same fervor and trust...
ReplyDeleteIt reminds me of this song...
“Yaadon ke purane album mein chupa ke rakhein hain humne woh din”
“ brought”
ReplyDeleteExcuse my typo.
Super, you just took me a few years back..like you have rightly said, though we don't have selfies n pics of those sleepovers (so called group study) the memories are so vivid n clear. Glad we all can still connect at the same level even now. Thank you for bringing back those beautiful memories!
ReplyDeleteOh yes... !!
ReplyDeleteThose school time and college time sleep overs... Giggly, gossip through the nights... Oh dear.
Those were the most amazing moments where we get so close to friends... And stay tuned forever, whether you meet them regularly or after many many years. The tuning is set for life. Golden Memories!!