In the depths of existence, the path to real companionship is an adventurous one. It is somehow both an epiphanic and a subtle experience. It is as if a person is walking along a wide land where in every step there are new differences of human interaction being seen among the expansive creation. This is a journey, or even hunting a needle in the haystack, twisty and winding around, where happiness and sadness mix making friends along the way. The companionship path is full of twists and turns as we constantly face a multitude of feelings that guide us. Sometimes we catch glimpses of the natural warmth of real companionship, rays of the sun glimmering through the clouds, lighting our way with the hope and comfort our friendliness provides. Apart from these sometimes, we get to know the darkness of loneliness and the heaviness of isolation in which the shadow of loneliness causes us to feel burdened. However, along with the waves of life, there are moments of great grace, a brief yet powerful intensity, in which our true friends are extracted from the depths of living beings. They are the lighthouses in our darkness, showing us the way with their pure radiance and their unlimited affection. In the company of them, we find reassurance and inner peace, a place far from the noise and troubles of the exterior world. These companions are totally like no other ones we have met before and the authenticity of their souls touch us on a deep level and outweigh all the pretentiousness of our world.
Separately and together, we witness joy and sadness, dreams and fears, finished in each other with a genuine spirit, as if we know. Sharing the burdens of living, we move forward by tapping into each other’s power through unity and trust. In the times we are not sure of our way or are struggling, they are our support, holding us when we fall handing us over courage, and lightening up our souls on the darkest nights. There was a moment I can still vividly recall when the possibility of having a companion seemed to me like an illusion that I might cling on to, and perhaps, lose at the exact time when I had thought that I had cradled it in my grasp. The fact that my companion left, giving me the excuse of true purdivorce, was hard on me as well, and the heart chasm which still now reverberates upon me, strongly reminds me of my earlier loss. At this point, what I perceive is that this was the turning point in my thread to discover the true aspect of friends.
Those were the most momentous days of my life. Only during that tragic departure that I somehow find myself mutually attracted to the two sterling individuals, who profoundly would change the course of my life. This side of friends was also something I had not met before, filled with a rare sense of maturity, unshakable loyalty, and empowerment from inside of their souls. I could never find a place that so easily saw me as what I am, a collection of imperfections without all the judging or hesitation, and this experience granted me an unprecedented feeling of belonging.
Often it was those two that provided me with unconditional and unwavering support during my most vulnerable moments, when I felt helpless, powerless, hopeless, and everything else, but they always offered me inner power, strength, courage, and optimism that would not let my spirit to be subdued. They didn’t restrict their interaction with me to be mere surface-level relations but rather, instead they had the purest form of love and welcomed me with open heart. Their love and acceptance was an invitation to me to realign my ideas about value and to realize that friends who rely on their hearts and minds and care less about the surrounding material world are real treasures. Notwithstanding that, we went through a metamorphic process in the context of self-discovery and personal development as our friendship was supported by mutual assistance and our unwavering solidarity in the challenges of life. We had both smiling and crying times, and we were confident as if we were one person that nothing would divide us, no matter the difficulty. Through various stages, our companionship was nurtured until it blossomed, supported by the varying trials of life and grew through the shared experience of difficult times.
Just as the lotus grows in muddy waters yet remains unstained, so too does true friendship nourish the soul amid the tribulations of life, providing a sanctuary in which individuals may flourish together, fostering personal development and spiritual enrichment.
These days, when I look back on the journey which have brought me where I am now, my inner voice is full of gratitude for friends who have been with me all the time. A true friend’s devotion and loyalty have affirmed friendship is more than just a superficial connection; it is a very priceless and rare commodity that we must be grateful to possess.
Just sitting here, mentally recalling all the events with their place and time, I am deeply touched by the feelings of gratitude for them who have always accompanied me. They are the beacons that shone through the darkest times and provided the light to lift me from the stumbling I had to suffer. To my dear departed friend, whose absence once left an aching void within me, I now recognize that your departure was not a loss, but rather a necessary transition. Each time you are away, I feel it in the depths of every moment, a real loss that reverberates through all the halls of my heart. Every single day without having you here, there is a sense of incompleteness that remains as if there is a hole to be filled. While the unevenness of this pain may diminish with time, the recollection of your friendship will always stand out on the woven canvas of my soul a poignant reminder of our past together. It was through your absence that I discovered the courage to open myself to new possibilities and embrace the companionship that awaited me just around the corner. Although you may no longer walk by my side, your memory serves as a gentle reminder of the transformative power of letting go and forging ahead.
Yet to both my wonderful companions and mentors who are now the very pillars of my being, there are no words to describe the unprecedented luminescence that you have entrusted in me.
Through your unconditional love and unlimited acceptance, you have been able to heal the old wounds of the past and make my heart feel like it has become accommodated, which I never figured I would be able to experience in my whole life. You proved to me that the real being together is not predetermined by any factor, obstacles of distance, time, and even circumstances are all surmountable.
Continually, after the long and hard, we should always remember these moments of bonding, since these are what hold together the thread of life. Here are the wonders of authentic camaraderie that we need to clutch, understanding that even amidst the vastness, we don’t experience loneliness. And with this gratefulness, remember our wonderful companions who join us in our life journey and make it more significant. As we face the turbulent waves of life, supporting each other with the same firmness, we manage to conquer every new challenge with heroism and steadiness. Despite the ups and downs, we have together shared feelings of happiness, grief, ambitions, and fears, comforted by the fact every time we fall because of some adversity we will always have each other to rely on.
I can see the future now, but this vision has been brightened with the positive sentiments that have risen within me as a result of having them as my dear companions. With them beside me, I know there is nothing we cannot beat. The bond I share with my two great companions started in the fires of troubles we went through and continued to grow by enduring those hardships together, and with that, I’m sure it will maintain
us in the years ahead. Therefore, for my, existing two Companion. I give my most hearty gratitude. I am grateful to you, who is my light when everything feels dark, my passion when I feel I have no meaning, and my constant pulse which keeps me alive. You have given me the greatest gift of all: the gift of such a wonderful companionship. And for that, I want to say thank you.
True companionship transcends petty sentimentality. There are times we are part of their plan, and at times we may not be; it just doesn’t matter because the understanding that truly matters is so much in place that there is no place for insecurity. So often things between us are understood unsaid, and most times, we know what is coming next. They challenge us, smoothening our rough edges, and at the same time, they encourage us, helping us shine and give our best. And they do it because they simply love us.
Companionship needs no reason, has no motive, and often cannot be described or understood by others. It is not easy to find, and when we do find it, we mustn’t let go of it. Sometimes the joy of walking alongside is far greater than running alone.
The author can be mailed at waniimran169@gmail.com
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