If we talk about aspects of life, friendship will always be present coloring the ups and downs of each of our lives. Even for someone like me, I'm not an extraordinary person that many people like, my aura is just tiny compared to my good-looking friends while I'm just an ordinary boy. I still remember that day, the first day since my elementary school started, and the day when the aspect of friendship entered the realm of my boring life.
At that time I was still a 7 year old boy and had just entered first grade in elementary school. Mom accompanied me at that time and always said not to be a crybaby. Okay! I have to admit that I was a spoiled child and afraid to socialize, you know children who are just about to enter first grade of elementary school? They're always scared to start doing things like making new friends with other kids, and so do I. Little me always hide behind my mom while clutching her skirt so she wouldn't go anywhere.
I was completely lost and didn't know what to do on the first day of school. Even though our teacher command us to get to know each other and started inviting other children to play together, little me just sat silently in the back seat and imagined how warm home would be and school would be boring. But all those feelings of fear suddenly melted into feelings of relief and delightful after that boy came. A simple boy in appearance as well as his personality. Closer to me as if he was reading my mind that I also need a friend but don't know where to start.
His name is Iqbal, he lives near the field not far from my house. He invites me as if like a usual friend . Slowly I began to familiarize myself with Iqbal and promised to play and to the canteen together after the break started. I still vividly remember that day, we ordered iced tea and corn chips while sitting in the school garden discussing our favorite cartoons and traditional games. As time went by, Iqbal and I never separated and always played at school and outside together. Occasionally I also invite Iqbal to play at my house to play monopoly, card games and Video games.
Shortly after getting to know Iqbal, our circle of friends widened, we had new friends unexpectedly starting from Ryan the clumsy fat boy, Ashgar the black boy who likes to complain and Fira the tomboyish girl and decision maker. We all became a gang who loved to wander in the forest area near Ashgar's house, which at that time was near the forest at the foot of the mountain.
When we were at school we mostly played cards or guessed games. Outside of school or on holidays, we often ride our bicycles and play tag in the field near Iqbal's house. I remember once making Fira cry because deflated her bicycle tire without her knowledge and sulked for several days. Or an incident where Ashgar and Ryan got into a fight just because they were cheating on playing marbles. There are many colors that make our circle of friends more varied. Laughter and fights are commonplace and trying to earn our friendship is a challenge in itself.
I didn't even expect that my elementary school days would become more alive after being revived by them and become something very extraordinary and beautiful to remember, I even became an extra person like now thanks to my childhood which was colored and filled with laughter and sadness.
But after my elementary school period was over, it turned out that our circle of friends had to end there too. One by one my friends went to another city and left me who had to live life alone in my city. Iqbal moved to another city to follow his parents because of work matters, Ryan and Fira chose to continue their education in another city and Ashgar's house had to be evicted due to the construction of a railroad and moved to another province.
It's true that every time you go to a new school you will find new friends with a new atmosphere, and I also have many friends in junior high school and even in high school. But the first friendship always leaves a mark in life. How could I forget about the friendship that changed me who used to be whiny, shy and spoiled into a stronger and independent person like now?
Nothing can replace all of that and I just want to say how much I miss them all and sometimes I always feel sad when I remember that our playground is no longer there and the government is actually turning it into new infrastructure. The field was converted into a health center, the forest area at the foot of the mountain was evicted for the construction of railroads, rivers and lakes that have been polluted due to factory waste. It was truly painful to witness.
I hope my friends and I can get together again and talk about the fun days of our childhood that we should always remember. Even though just for once.
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[Thanks for reading]