A story.

 Sometimes, it takes a goodbye to teach you what no conversation ever could. A small moment, a handshake, a look — and suddenly, you understand what it means to truly value someone.

Good evening from I don’t know which part of India. 20000 feet above sea level. 

The world says ‘friends and family’ together in every sentence. Why’s that? If I’m asking a typical 15 year old this, the answer would sound something like, sorry there would be no answer because we’re all too ‘cool’ to think about all this aren’t we? I don’t blame them, I was something like that till a week ago. 

7 days ago from today and I was before a friend bidding him goodbye, a person I thought I’d never feel this way for, more interestingly, a person I never thought I would even want to be friends with after the first proper conversation with him the third day he walked into school. 2 years down, he’s everything but the guy who used to try to change his words and lie all the time. All I did was go to tell him a goodbye a day before he left Chennai, at the beach. Walked up to him, shook his hands, said I’ll miss him with great difficulty and making sure he sees no tear drop roll down me because we’re guys and our second name is Integrity in public. Turned around and sat in the car within about 90 seconds and could think of nothing but what life would be without him. 2 years, same tuition, countless memories, sharing food every day, good days together, fights and god what not. 

That is the day I realised what it felt like losing someone. Absolutely anyone for that matter. It also answers the question I asked in the beginning. If it were anyone closer, it would’ve broken me or any other human being too who’s saying goodbye to their good friend for the first time. 

It was after this incident that a very special friend told me, never let go. Whatsoever. Call during the initial days because let’s remember we’re just feeling this about the person who’s leaving but what about the state of the person leaving itself, the memories with SO MANY PEOPLE. Give them time and continue to show that you value them. 

The point of all this being, I finally understood what is the value our loved ones. Every person, friend or family that we truly care about. Give them that attention, show that we like them by doing that thing they love, spend some time away from the mobiles and with them. Anyone reading this who’s not experienced it first hand will never relate but trust me, you don’t want to. Well, that’s not in our hands but at least we can make sure we don’t regret something after they’re gone. 

Rightly said, the true value of a person is only realised when they’re no more around. 

Signing, 

Shubham Daga