Friendship

 It is the friendship day today. Let us look at a celebrated mythical friendship in this context, the friendship between Krishna and Sudama. Well, first and foremost, the story tells you that a true bond is not defined by the societal norms or differences. A king can be a pauper's friend. 

Next, it tells us that there can be a friendship between the ordinary and the divine. The best buddy is the god, the myth seems to suggest. Indeed friendship is a 'blessing' in this sense! A 'divine' friend seems to enjoy the "poha", the puffed rice preparation, in fact,  whatever is offered with devotion, "patram, pushpan, falam, toyam" as the Geeta puts it.

Yet another truth about friendship that the Krishna-Sudama story seems to tell us is that true  friendship is never really disconnected. Neither years of physical absence seem to wither it, nor distance apparently ruins it.

Still more interestingly, the story seems to suggest that in any real bond, there is no need to demand, well, no need even to say anything. Krishna seems to understand Sudama's plight and Sudama Krishna's genuine earnestness. In other words, silences speak a lot in every real friendship.

Such a friendship is never exploitative either.  There are no hidden or ulterior motives. In fact, the good friend knows what is ideal for the buddy.

Last but not the least, the story seems to suggest that a good friend puts you in the comfort zone, and thus puts your anxieties, your confusions in proper perspective, designing them in to a better shape for you.

Ah, yes, that ideal, many would say, is a story. Such wonders do not exist in reality. My take on the whole of it is a little different. Why cannot we adopt as many defining qualities of/for any bond from this story? Sure we may falter, sure our best efforts may be way below the ideal, and yet these attempts would add grace to our existence as a human being. May be!What say?

Pratima@ Is a genuine friendship a route to                      a better self? May be! In certain                         contexts, we could be Krishna;                           some times, Sudama! Both ways                          better us, add a touch of the                                divine to us, make us more                                graceful (under pressure),                                  right?