To my dear friend

Good friends are for a lifetime. Thats why the saying goes " A friend in need is a friend indeed" . Lucky are those who have a friend to share all your ups and downs.

Likewise, me too had a friend. A wonderful friend who was always there when in need. You won't believe our friendship started right from Kindergarten. But the friendship lasted only till she got married.

For me she was a remarkable personality. A true personality with a difference. To describe about her she was good looking, photogenic, generous and brilliant. Her dressing sense was too good. She was modest and simple. What more you need from her. By religion she was a Roman catholic Anglo Indian.

While in school and college most of the prince charmings were after her. She was the heart throb for many but she ignored them. Considering her physique, she was given leadership responsibilities in many areas, which she used to discharge with utmost sincerity.

During my school days, rarely did I see ladies going for work. Men were the breadwinner of the family while the ladies sticked onto household chores. But in her case, both her parents were working in the Government sector. Their lifestyle was more comfortable than others.

Her lunch box was always packed with rich food compared to that of ours. She was so generous that she used to exchange her food with others. She loved to enjoy the simple food of ours with no remarks.

It is always a known fact, not everybody are fortunate to enjoy all the good things in life. Such was her story. Though she led a very comfortable life with whatever she wills, she was not happy. The reason being her father who used to consume alcohol a lot.

Unfortunately due to liver failure she lost her father at a very young age. At the age of 15. She had a brother qho was 10 then. Life changed completely after that. Things were not getting materialized. She had to leave her boyfriend, because he was also addicted to alcohol. She feared a life with him, may end up the same as that happened in her family.

Both of us successfully completed our Degree and Post graduate. We were always together. At one juncture I even thought of getting her married to my brother so that life long she will remain at my home. But then religion was a big issue she being a Christian and me a Muslim.

After two years of my education, my parents got me married. I settled abroad with with my husband and children for a while. But we were still in touch. There was no mobile during that time so we communicated through letters and emails.

Later, one day I got the good news from her that she was getting married. That was a love marriage. One day I called her up before marriage and asked if she was happy with this marriage. She happily said "yes, my dear friend, he is a teetotaller" which means one who never drinks and smokes.

I was so happy for this friend of mine. Because through out schooling and college she was my best friend and we constantly kept in touch. After marriage, she sent me photograph of her wedding. We continued communicating each other theough phone calls and letters.

All of a sudden I did not hear from her. I wrote letters no response, I tried to reach her through phone either switched off or no answer. She was staying near to her parents home. All our school and college mates stay nearby. So when I did not hear from her long I contacted my friends staying nearby her place.

They said she had some personal problems as she was staying with her in laws and also sister in law who used to make fights regularly. Alas! I was just shocked and asked Almighty "why she is always targeted". After that My communication with her was lost completely.

Now its almost 30 years. Recently we had a school reunion at the place where we studied. It is a day's journey by train. But I decided to go just to meet my dear friend. She stays close by. But my friends warned me against going saying the poor girl will be tortured if you visit her. So I didn't want that to happen. So I dropped this plan of meeting.

Even today I can't imagine how a bold person like her is living in such a family.

Almighty gives us in abundance, but we do not know how it is taken back gradually. Prayers should definitely be a part of our life.