Nithya,

        I have always believed that friends you make- atleast the best ones, will always stay. No matter what. And suddenly, towards the fag end of 2011, I seem to have been saying bye byes to many people who have grown to mean so much to me- First Sameer, then it’s almost time for Jennyka to leave, and then- the last person I would dream of not having around- you.

       
        Though I keep mentioning many, many friends, I’m sure, Nithya,, you know that there are some that I prize more than many others, and, I want you to know that you fall in that list. Office, and Chennai- in general, post Jan 8 is going to a lot duller for me. I keep putting off thinking about it, but today I realize that next week, this time, you would be all packed to leave. I am glad you are brave enough to follow your heart for what you want- it is not a decision many of us would be able to easily make, but I am also going to miss you very very much. The magnitude doesn’t sink in now. It would not sink in, until 9^th morning, when I reach work, and ping you for the weekend gossip. It would not sink in until we don’t have you around for chai. You are not going to be there to kick Ranjith as nobody would dare to (considering his size :P) or ask Arun to shut up or roll your eyes about something that somebody says- an action which only few of us would catch. You wouldn’t be there saying. ‘let’s leave babe’, and those train rides with the incessant chatter or comfortable silences would be gone. Almost a year of travelling together- it is going to be very hard. Then there would be the Friday Toastmasters sessions that would need you so bad to fill in for some role or the other, some shopping that needs to be done, some new eating place that I would love to check out, or some sense that I would want drilled inside me- and an empty space which you had been filling in this far.

        I think of all the fun times I had this year, and more than often, it has you sharing the frame with me. The turtle walk, Himalayas,Nagala, innumerable birthday parties, beach fun, long rides, shopping, train rides, gossip, heart talk, free advice inebriated giggles, laughter, Pondicherry, Ooty, so many new eating places, lots of laughter, and, inevitably, some testing times as well, that we did cross pretty reasonable well.

        I am glad I came to know you- I admire you for many things, and you have taught me a great deal. How to pick up and move on. How it’s okay to try for what you want. And how to gracefully accept it when you don’t get it.  How to come to terms with the madness that the heart wrecks. How to set goals- and achieve them. How to selflessly love people, and be loved back. How to support friends when they need you, and be soothed by their support when you need it real bad.

        I know this is not bye bye, per se. Less than a week after you leave, I am going to there, anyway. And yes, you are going to be coming down, or I am going to be travelling to Pune every now and then. Work or not- excuses are not hard to come by J Still, you are going to be missed, in a way that is hard to pen down, and cannot be expressed, until felt.

        I want you to know that you maean a lot to us, you make us all very very proud of you, and I wish you a very happy 2012- may this year bring you all the happiness, answers and truck loads of money and loads of travel, merriment and joy :-) 

Ps- I know there are a lot of better pics, but I wanted to capture the ‘moments’ :P