It was a hot, humid late September morning, just a few days before summer ended and we all went back to school. My summer friend and I were walking along a sandy unpaved road leading to the beach. The sand was hot on our feet and we were almost dancing our way to the ocean to cool off.
My friend would be leaving soon going back north to the cold and snow. We shared many stories that summer and many hopes and dreams. I told him how I wanted to be an explorer and on the first spaceship to Mars if we were lucky enough to go in my lifetime. He, in his gentle and kind way, explained the science behind going on such an adventure. I was Jules Verne, full of wild abandon, a brooding poet deep and contemplative. He was the serious scientist looking at how we would do the things we dreamed of, looking at life with a philosopher’s soul.
It was a sad moment; the setting sun full of beauty and brilliance marking our last day together. Tears were hard to hide for the bond of friendship had grown during these sweltering summer days, but life calls us away and we must return to our separate lives. I never did see him again, but his influence would be something I carried all through my life.
I will never forget my wise friend. Even now he always whispers reason into my ear when I get off course.
Strange are the ways of the world, my Dear, Long-lost Friend, Larry! The feelings of an ever-painful vacuum are equally paramount this side as well. How can I ever forget the warmth of a bigger-than-life-size friend I met during my summer sojourn? Although we failed to meet again, never in your wildest dreams must you imagine that we parted for good. What makes me say that? The deep-rooted respect for your wisdom, your brotherly love and tender care, the quick wit, as also the nature-loving free bird that always looked for solace in the wild remain in the deepest recesses of my psyche.
Part 2 by Bharat Mathur
Let me share a little secret with you, Dear Larry; you might not have succeeded in pursuing your dreams of visiting Mars but rest assured the scientist in me gave birth to a gentle soul that found a host of other exciting opportunities as well. I have many different hats through this passage of time. Feeling strong affinity for the Motherland, I devoted some valuable years serving in the armed forces. Upon discharge, a necessary adjustment to civil life pushed me into a sequence of ventures, took me from coast-to-coast, and from country-to-country.
I still nurture the fond feelings of a carefree splash in the ocean where the two of us had fun that the richest of the richest may never imagine in their wildest dreams. All those beautiful moments we spent together make me nostalgic. Although life has its strange ways of separating and again reuniting the warm-hearted ones, I have NOT lost hope that we are destined to meet, and meet we shall, sooner than you believe. My heart tells me it’s been coming a long time, if not Down-South than definitely Up-North. So, get your bags ready as we are about to select a mutually convenient rendezvous. Until then, THREE CHEERS, Larry!
Point Of View
Friends will always influence how you see life. They add value to who you are, loving and believing in you. Without friends, part of who we are is missing. This story is part memories, part fiction with a dear friend added into the mix. Thank you, Bharat Mathur, for your heartfelt contribution.
What a great piece Larry!
It seemed to uncover so much wisdom and warmth
in what I felt to be such a natural setting…
Re: Friends: “I, personally probably wouldn’t have made it this far without them.” ~ I say:
A genuine friend is there to the end! Ld.
Friendship flourishes and is universal… Ld.
Joyfully, Loreexx
There is no doubt, I believe, that good friends can help to improve the state of mind, to achieve personal and professional goals thanks to their support and motivation, and to reduce stress and depression through their closeness. Furthermore, good friends support themselves in difficult moments, helping themselves to overcome situations of illness, loss, breakage, etc. As you progress through the years, friends are a great support to overcome all that old age brings with them and help you live with greater fullness.
Seneca said: with a friend you can do everything, but the first thing you have to do is decide if it’s really a friend. When you have verified it seriously you must trust him.
I share this point of view 100%, especially today that technology may have changed the definition of a friend in recent years: having friends online is not just the same as having friends to contact to spend time in person.
Friends are not our “clones”, but they are a completion of ourselves, with which a perfect harmony is created so that even without the need for big speeches, the other already knows what you mean and vice versa, indeed the friend is the one with whom you can also be silent.
The most important thing in a friendship relationship, in my opinion, is respect, naturally combined with sincerity, understanding and mutual complicity. Friendship is a deep and confidential bond that unites two or more people. In fact this feeling has a fundamental value: it can be distributed among many individuals, with various nuances, without any of them feeling devalued.
The “group” lives important and decisive experiences that remain unforgettable in the life of every person, but it is fundamental that within the same, everyone finds the space necessary to express themselves, to compare, to share, maintaining a certain freedom of choice.
Can we be friends even with people with whom we exchange opinions on a social network? I think so, friendship can also come from common affinities, interests or ideals, because a feeling of esteem, mutual trust, respect has been created.
Thank you my friend. Your words are filled with wisdom and hold great value
Very interesting work. I loved the juxtaposition of the two conversations.
It was fun to do with Bharat
You said your story is part-fiction and part childhood experiences. You clearly love the ocean, Larry, as it’s a part of many of your stories. I can relate to that.
We encounter many people in our lifetime and some have forever left their mark on us; some good, some not so much. We can only hope that they think of us every now and them as your summer friend did.
Thank you yes I do love the ocean
Love you more than my own self, my Dear Friend, Larry! You are the epitome of Inspiration in Life!
Thank you so much my friend. I hope we inspire others to reach out to friends and rekindle that spark called friendship