Lounge
A note on the issue: A little help from my friends
Summary
Who to let into our lives and how far is a delicate exercise in discernment and discrimination
Over the past few months, friendship has come up a lot during our editorial meetings while discussing a whole range of stories, from dating and ageing to relationships. Some of us were content with the same friends we’d had for years, some of us had a more laissez-faire attitude of letting people drift in an out and enjoying the company while it lasted, some of us were finding it hard to make or keep friends, and some of us just didn’t want to make the effort. We even contemplated whether we were friends, colleagues or just people who liked working together, considering we spend so much time together yet are all separated by time, distance and circumstances.
Also read: The death of the best friend
Over the last few years, chat has become our best friend to maintain these relationships and discuss work as well as everything else. Pebbling, or sending each other memes, reels and songs, has become another.
It’s a delicate exercise in discernment and discrimination: Who to let into our lives and how far? And that, essentially, is at the heart of every friendship, and of our cover story this week. Is the idea of that one special best friend dead and do we even need one? Isn’t a community of friends, each of whom shows up for a different reason, a more practical way to navigate life? Pooja Singh decided to spend six months looking for a new best friend—and though she hasn’t found one, and doesn’t think she will, she has written a clear-eyed yet heartfelt piece about the innate desire to find that person with whom you can share anything without fear of judgement, even that moment at which you weren’t at your finest.
Another story that’s not to be missed is Jahnabee Borah’s exploration of the music of the North-East, the emerging stars (do listen to Siali by H.O.M) and the role the Ziro Festival has played in giving them a stage. Neha Sinha’s contemplative column reminds us that we have forgotten how the landscape outside our window looked, and that though birds, animals and flowers still live among us, they aren’t thriving the way they could. And as always, there’s plenty of reading to help you make plans with your friends, whether you’re going out with one, many or just a date with yourself.
Write to the editor at shalini.umachandran@htlive.com
@shalinimb
Also read: How the Ziro Festival spotlights music from the North-East
