It’s the difference between being alone and being with yourself. And the people who’ve already figured that out? They’re not the ones we should be worrying about. They’re the ones most likely to survive when everything shifts.
The night felt softer when we are sitting with someone who knows your childhood secrets.Two glasses of mango slush in our hands, cold and bright like summer memories and the world suddenly feels lighter. The ice was slowly melting just like the years that passed between school days and today.
We are no longer the kids who used to run in the streets without worrying about time. Now,I am a grownup student chasing my dreams and my friend is working and building his career step by step. But none of that distance matters.
We sit quietly for a moment, sipping the sweet mango slush letting the coldness wake us up while the late-night air wraps around us. Then the laughter begins.
We remember the silly fights,the competitions over small things,the punishments in school and the promises we made about becoming “big people” one day. Back then, success meant having a bicycle or scoring more marks. Now, success means stability, respect and inner peace.
Our conversation slowly shifted from memories to society.We talked about how people change when responsibilities increase.How the world judges quickly but understands slowly. My friend shared stories from his job,the pressure,the expectations and the politics of workplaces.
I shared my academic struggles,assignments, exams, future uncertainty. We realize that both paths are different but the challenges are equally heavy.
What surprises me the most is how patient we both have become.
In childhood,we used to get angry within seconds.Now, we listen more. We try to understand before reacting. Maybe life teaches patience in its own way through disappointments, delays and silent battles that nobody sees. We talked about how society pushes us to move fast, earn fast and achieve fast. But we agree that growth takes time.There’s something powerful about sitting late at night.We laugh at our past mistakes.We understand that everyone is fighting their own silent war.
At one point,we stopped talking and just look around.The city was quieter.The world felt slower.In that silence,I realised how rare this moment was.Not everyone is lucky enough to grow up and still keep the same friend by their side.Not everyone can share both tears and laughter with the same person over the years.
As we finished our mango slush,the glasses almost empty,I felt grateful.Grateful for friendship that survived time.Grateful for patience that helped us grow. Grateful for dreams that are still alive.Life is changing, responsibilities are increasing but some things remain constant that is loyalty, understanding and the comfort of a childhood friend.
