"I have lost all my friends"

When Romesh told this, all of us were totally silent. We had just started our journey to Leh. Since the trip was bit taxing we were trying out some means to entertain ourselves. Even though it was the fourth day of our trip, we felt a self introduction will make sense. When Kiran’s turn came, he was telling how he and Gopan were together from childhood. It was then that Romesh interrupted asking

"Do you know what is the biggest loss in my life is?"

We couldn’t guess and he continued

"It is the fact that I have lost all my childhood friends"

Romesh was our guide who accompanied us from Manali to Leh and was basically from Kashmir. He then explained that his family migrated to Delhi after the riots. He said he did manage to make lot of friends afterwards but can never forget the ones he already left behind/lost.

For me it's difficult even to think of such a situation. My childhood friends were and are always an integral part of my life. I would say they were more like family than friends. Now even though we are in different parts of the world and cannot spend time together as we used to, deep inside we all know that we are there for each other whatever the case may be and that is the biggest confidence I have in life.

I'm just wondering why it that some people are deprived of this happiness that too for no fault of theirs…

As Poonthanam rightly said

"koodiyalla pirakkunna neerathum
koodiyalla marikkunna neerathum

madhye ingane kaanunna neerathu
mathsarikkunnathenthinu naam vruda"

(We are alone during birth n death. It is in between these two that we meet other people. Why are we wasting this short duration by fighting with each other?)