The Chosen Family

The Chosen Family

4th October 2009... This is the day when I met two of the favorite people of my life. Autumn had just started and the hot winds were turning into cool breeze. Though I loved this season the most but this year it was different. I was sad and unhappy. The reason... I had got admission into an engineering college and I had to leave home and move to Chandigarh for my education. I was a little nervous about staying at the hostel because of the scary hostel myths that every freshmen fears. But more than the fear of a new place I was more dejected of the fact that I was about to leave home and my parents. Finally the big day came, my dad woke me up and asked me to buckle up as we had an early morning bus to catch. I can still remember that day, I woke up from a sleepless night. I was so anxious the previous night that the whole night I could feel my heart beating , loud and clear. Mom packed the lunch and we were on the go. We reached at my hostel in the evening where my dad gave me his blessings and bid me goodbye with a heavy heart. It was a hard moment for both of us. I kept standing on the road until his cab disappeared from my sight. That was the first time I saw moisture in my superman's eyes. It was painful! 

I went upstairs to my room and met Ravish. He seemed a little introvert but overall he was nice. We went on a tea talked a bit and returned to our room only to find that we had our first beggar case. Yes, beggar case! While your stay in a hostel you find ample of people who ask for your stuff. Bear in mind, a thing once lent in a hostel has 0.009% chances of being returned. This beggar had come for my bucket. Though I gave him that but I was afraid that I would never see that bucket again. Now the fun fact is that the bucket came back but not alone, the person who lent the bucket also came with it. He shifted in our room! His name was Rahul. At first I and Ravish were not happy of him being in our room because Rahul seemed a little loud but later we figured out that he was the last spoke to our wheel. We became the closest friends that mankind has ever seen and for the record, Rahul proved out to be more of a giver than a beggar. Me, Ravish and Rahul... We were a band now. We were reckless, we were adamant, we were witty and we were crazy. It was no longer when everyone in the hostel realized that room number #37 belonged to the Satan because Ambuj, Ravish and Rahul lived there. We were like a fist which once joined used to take down any opponent with our wits. We did all sort of things that a person can and cannot imagine. We had a fun of a lifetime. 

We laughed, we cried, we danced, we wandered, we fought and we made-up with one another, but we never gave up. No matter how immature we were then but we stood up for one another and never gave up on one another. No matter how bad the things went amongst us but we always knew how to move on with just the good that all three of us had made together. We agreed to disagree but never let the disagreements hamper our relationship.  I guess this is what the magic of friendship is. I guess this is what a family is.

Now when I turn the pages of my life exactly 5 years and 8 months back, I realize that I left my family home on 4th October 2009 but I also made a new family on the very same day. I guess this is how life works, you fall in love with the people who show you the reflection of your own self in their eyes and the clearer the image the stronger is the relation with that person. And when you say friends… this is the one family that you can choose...

by Ambuj