30 Comments

How do you do heartbreak and joy together? How do you speak of hurt and healing in one breath! "Thank you for not being there"...sigh! Tightest hugs, Raju Tai. And thank you for choosing to be you despite the abandonment. I'm so glad to have found you.

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Thank you Sanobar. For your care and warmth. Your generosity. Sending you love and "let's keep writing" vibes. 💖💖

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"Without you, I found friendship in me

Thank you for not being there."

This definitely spoke to a whole lot of us.

I have learnt to honour that a few friendships do have an expiry date.

And not without reason. :)

I love the FRIEND-ly reminder. <3

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Thank you Natasha.. ♥️ for reading the way you do and taking what soothes you from it. Very very encouraging, always. 🌈

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Hugs xoxo

Thank you for your words, dear Raju.

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This is a brilliant piece RT. I have been struggling with a few friendships myself. In retrospect and in nostalgia, I have such good memories with them that letting the friendship die its natural course feels like letting a part of me die. However it’s also equally difficult to let the friendship go on with all its edges and razors. It’s a difficult topic to write about, I hope you’re feeling okay after having written about this.

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thank you Rishabh for the lovely and caring response. if i may, i would like to assure you that nothing in you will die, and something that wants to live and breathe more freely will be able to. sending warmth. ♥️

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❤️❤️

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Reading this again was different and so wonderful. I remember the first time I realised that movie friendships could only exist in the movies was when I watched 'sex and the city.' In modern day friendships - at least the real ones - no one will drop everything they are doing for an SOS call from a friend - no matter how close they are. BUT we will take the the time to understand the emergency and respond with love, empathy and realistic solutions. Letting go for F.R.I.E.N.D.S can be so hard when the real ones do not match up to the fantasy - and especially as we grow older. Thank you for this Raju.

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“Letting go for F.R.I.E.N.D.S can be so hard when the real ones do not match up to the fantasy - and especially as we grow older.” Thank YOU samira ♥️

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Hi Raju... Brilliant piece of artwork, I must say. This is such a difficult topic to write about, and it really made me reflect on my life and where my friendships truly stand. I believe letting go is always a healthy option, whether it's life's sorrows, broken relationships, or friendships. If a friendship is genuine, it will endure through all the ups and downs, so let friendships have their own share of the test of time.

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Thank you so much ♥️🩵

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Such a wonderful read this! Sigh navigating friendships as an adult has been quite trying. Glad to know we're all in it :)

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Absolutely... We are letting out only 10% of our actual struggles around friendships... Thank you for reading and responding. :) Hope you find a map (rather make one) to navigate.. <3

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Oh I like that idea :D Thank you!

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"I learned that I am pretty powerful if I look at myself from a certain angle." This, the essence of self reflection. We gather from our friends what we need at any given moment in time. I have few friends and those I have ebb and flow.

Beautiful story.

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Ebb and flow - is there a better way to describe friendship as an adult? Thank you Stacy. I feel like we are talking friendship from our surroundings by writing about them and paying attention to them. I certainly am learning from you how to be in my here and now. Thank you for this exchange. ♥️

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You writing brings me joy. Requires me to slow a moment and think, even be accountable. Thank you for that.

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Enjoyed reading this through and through! I always struggled sustaining friendships in high school and college but as I'm growing up, I'm making wiser choices and naturally the people I attract into my life are also very much thriving plants. I loved your take on friends through F.R.I.E.N.D.S!

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Thank you Mohika ♥️ for your kindness. loved reading the tea+poetry note yesterday

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This is so beautiful ♥️ also found me at a time i needed to the most. Thank you for this Rajshree.

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Thank you Jancy… you make me want to keep writing.. so i’m very grateful ♥️

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The way you express gratitude and sadness in one post is incredible. Thank you for writing this and putting into words the twisted threads of adult friendships. The smoothness of your words is amazing ❤️🤗❤️

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Twisted threads and smoothness… ahhh!! thank you for such apt description of adult friendships and such a generous response. ♥️ so encouraging, Aditi. 🌸🫶🏼

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As somebody who has lost a best friend after 10 years of friendship, this post resonated with me🌻I am grateful for the time I got to spend with her and I am also thankful to her for not being there

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Such a lovely piece!

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Hard relate- both on outgrowing televised F.R.I.E.N.D.S and real life friends. We all go through a journey with friendships- school to now. I'm going to share this with Inika. This is central theme in her life now and maybe she finds some solace :)

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Thank you Priya.. didn’t know for sure if others would relate, but as is always found after writing memoir: you are not as alone as you think.. thank for relating..🌸 Would love to know how this lands for Inika.. ♥️

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This takes some interesting twists and turns and ends in a very clever poem!!🩵🩵💖😊

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thank you Alaknanda ♥️💚 for your friendship 🌸

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