HYDERABAD: It’s Friendship Day on August 4, one of the most celebrated events worldwide. People spend time with their friends, reminiscing about all the sweet moments of their friendships. While we talk about friendship, it’s important to remember that our first best friends are often our parents or guardians, who support and encourage us as true friends. This Friendship Day, CE speaks to Hyderabadis who share such a bond.
Priyanka Aelay, artist
I think friendship, for me, is about trusting each other. There is always a liberty to share with the other person, and the trust you develop lets you be who you truly are. I am extremely thankful that my parents have been friends to me and my sister since we were kids.
They were strict, but they always gave us choices and guidance on what could have been better or what we could aspire to. They presented everything in terms of options. We still share a special bond with them because they are open to their thoughts and our ideas, and we are fortunate to have parents like that.
Being in the same profession, my father and I share many special moments even to this day. It’s hard to pinpoint just one, but even now, if I have any problem, I can still walk up to them and talk things through. My parents and siblings were my first friends. They are the ones I turn to for any issue. They have been pillars in my life. For me, it’s a gut feeling that they will always be my friends and be there for me.
Roll Rida, rapper
I believe that friendship is about being there for someone, no matter what. When your parents become your friends, it means two things: first, they have known you since childhood and will always strive to give you the best. Second, as friends, they not only offer suggestions for a better future but also always have your best interests at heart, being the most loving people in your life. For me, parents come first, even before friends. They always give the best advice and back you up unconditionally.
My best moments with my parents have been during the low times in my life. They were always there for me, never letting me down and constantly encouraging me to move forward. Unlike many kids who are scared of their parents, I have never felt that way. My parents never accepted failure and always pushed me forward. They made sure success never went to my head and failure never got to my heart. That is how I would describe our bond.
Hamsa Nandini, actress
I want to dedicate this to the women of my family, including my nieces, who are about 19-20 years old, and going up to my grandmother, who just turned 93 and whose birthday we are celebrating. The bond I share with the women in my family became even more significant after my mother passed away when I was 19 years old. I have always been close to my aunts, Kiran and Anjali, but after losing my mom, they became even more deeply rooted in my life. I can share absolutely anything with them.
We talk about everything under the sun, their advice is like gold, and they spoil me like crazy. Despite the miles between us, with each of us settled in different places, our girl gang knows how to have a blast. When I had cancer treatment, my cousin flew down from the US just to hang out with me, and it meant the world to me. We create such amazing memories, laugh until we cry, and support each other through everything. Distance just makes our reunions sweeter.
They are my tribe, my rock, and my favourite people to goof around with. I want to wish a very happy Friendship Day to my incredible family and the women of my family—they absolutely rock. Apart from my sisters, aunts, and grandmother, I have a close-knit rapport with my nieces, Ruhi and Gia. They are such incredible girls; one lives in America and one lives in Singapore. They just call to check on me, and they are always there for me. We have so much fun goofing around on calls. It is amazing to have this kind of relationship and I think it is very rare to find such a bond across different age groups. It is so much fun to have a wholesome experience with all of them.
Dr Vyshnavie Sainath, classical dancer
When I was younger, Friendship Day was exciting because we used to exchange friendship bands, and there was a silent feeling of pride in how many friends I had based on the number of bands. Today, when I think about it, I realise that true friends are those who make you feel safe, listen to you no matter what, and are there for you 24/7. I am really blessed to have a family who are my friends. My dad, Sainath, is a cricketer who represented our country. He naturally embodies a ‘let go’ attitude and the sports spirit where winning and losing are part of daily life.
He always created an atmosphere at home where it was okay to feel great sometimes and low at other times. I really appreciate the spirit my dad used to bring. Of course, my mom and I share the same profession. Both of us are dancers, and we have travelled a lot together, so I naturally connected more with my parents as friends. They gave me the freedom and space to share everything, experience everything, and come back to them if I needed.
I am really blessed to have parents who know when to let go and when to hold on. I got lucky in that aspect. We truly become friends when we work out together, go to the park together, play games, go to the mall, and even get into the kids’ zone and play there. Even my friends say that my parents are really cool and much more like friends. I am used to having that around me.