Tell me your friend, I will tell who you are.
If this old adage were true then I can proudly say that I am the bestestest person in this whole world! Good friends are like four leaf clovers: hard to find and lucky to have. Thankfully, I have been fortunate to find a lot of really good friends and needless to say they have been very defining influences in my life.
So what does it take to sustain such friendships? Easy enough question but the answer is not so simple. Quite often all we need to do is simply to say’I CARE’I WILL BE THERE FOR YOU’ rather than leave it to be implicit. And what better way to say these than with gifts/presents/treats/simple acts! But if you are a pathetic poet like me, then forget all those filmi herogiri where you can break into a song at once:-( So all I can suggest is that you can use years of my experience - mistakes made, lessons learnt!
1a. The easiest way to a man’s heart is thru food. So all you gals, just find out his favorite restaurant, book a table in advance for a crowded Saturday evening - preferably somewhere in the centre(shady corners are only for lovelorn couples), order his favorite dishes(men hate ordering) and then let him ogle at all the women who come in.If possible, sweetly b*tch abt a few and engage in casual banter about the women in his life. Believe me, he feels on top of the world. He feels cared for!
1b. For guys, nothing turns on women like new clothes. So take your friend along asking her to help you pick clothes for your sister/cousin. While she helps you out, no woman can resist trying out some for herself. Just observe what she freaks out on and without her knowledge, gift her the same stuff she tried out.
note: Do 1a and 1b not on her Birthday or any special occasion, just on’any other day’!
Girls love lipstick and makeup. Read abt it, find out the latest’happening brands’ and then take them to a big shopping mall where they can try out a million shades before choosing the one they saw first. Stand besides and offer’educated opinions’(women really appreciate that). Try n sense their pulse, reassure them abt their choices.Generally be very supportive even if you dont agree with their choices!
An ordinary friend knows all about your favorite movies and your crushes on the stars. A great friend takes you out to all those movies even though he/she cant stand them - I know its tuff for gals to like Govinda but have u ever seen the joy in his face(read mine) when you sit with him and ensoii the mindless antics? Be with him and watch him go ga-ga over Bipasha Basu and I promise, he wont forget that evening for a lifetime! And yes guys, we all care a damn for Hritik Roshan or Brad Pitt but its just 3 hrs.Surely its worth it, for friendships sake!
For an erudite friend, nothing is more appropriate than a thoughtful book.It always works! While Bach is recommended, Ayn R is not! Heavy philosophy, murder mysteries are a no no.Light comedies, classics have done best for me!
Music is divine! Nothing can work better than a CD recorded with all the songs that he/she has enjoyed since her childhood. And if you are a childhood pal, it helps if you know who was his/her heartthrob during school n college days and recording all those hits songs.
On second thoughts, all the above are useful but in my list, the last one tops it all! This idea came for a very thoughtful friend of mine and I think it simply rocks! Simply gift ur best friend a framed fotograph of u and him/her together. Need I say more .
Leaving you all with a simple but moving quote that I have always relished!
When it hurts to look back, and you’re scared to look ahead, you can look beside you and your best friend will be there. True friendship never ends.
Hasta manana!