Friendship Day: To The Friend I've Never Met

Hyderabad : A Friendship Day tribute to an unexpected bond forged over work calls, voice notes and years of unwavering support proving that the strongest friendships aren't always built in person.

People often say you don't truly know someone until you've spent time with them in person. I used to believe that too.

Then I met Shivani. Or rather, I didn't. We worked together at my second job during the pandemic, when 'office' meant logging into Zoom, endless Slack messages and trying to build professional relationships through a laptop screen.

Most of our team was based in Delhi while I was in Mumbai so even after the world slowly reopened, we remained hundreds of kilometres apart.

Our friendship didn't begin over coffee breaks or lunch plans. It began over shared frustrations.

Like many workplaces, ours had its fair share of difficult days. Deadlines, stress and moments that left us questioning whether we belonged there at all. Somewhere between those conversations, three colleagues found each other -- Shivani, Anushka and me.

We started with office conversations before creating a group of our own. At first, it was a space to vent after difficult meetings or laugh about something ridiculous that had happened during the day.

Soon, without realising it, that little group became our safe space. We became each other's support system.

If one of us was drowning in work, another would quietly step in. If someone had a bad day, the other two already knew before they had to say it aloud.

We celebrated small victories, survived difficult weeks and reminded one another that work was just one part of life.

Somewhere along the way, the lines between colleagues and friends disappeared.

Shivani, older than me, slowly became the elder sister I never knew I needed. Anushka, younger than me, slipped naturally into the role of the little sister I'd fiercely cheer on.

We were no longer connected because of an employer; we were connected with each other.

Eventually, the workplace became too much for all of us. Shivani left first. Then I did. Then Anushka.

Years later, on days when I felt overwhelmed at work or questioned my next career move, Shivani was still one of the first people I called.

Whenever life felt noisy and I couldn't hear my own thoughts, she somehow helped me find clarity.

When my relationship hit a rough patch, she was there. Sometimes with advice, sometimes with perspective and sometimes simply with the patience to listen without trying to solve everything.

And somehow, that's enough : There was a phase after I left that job when I couldn't find another one. Every rejection chipped away at my confidence. Shivani never let me believe that this was where my story ended. She encouraged me, guided me and eventually helped me find the opportunity that became my next chapter.

Some people change your life in dramatic ways; others quietly help you rebuild it.

I've met Anushka in person since then, during a work trip to Delhi. But it has been more than three years and I've never met Shivani. We've navigated career changes, heartbreaks and self-doubt. But we've never shared a meal, never hugged, never taken a photo that proves our friendship exists.

Maybe that's why I've stopped measuring friendships by the miles travelled or the memories captured. Because sometimes the people who shape your life the most are the ones you've barely stood beside.

And perhaps that's the beautiful irony of friendship -- the people who feel closest to your heart aren't always the ones you’ve met. They’re the ones who never made you feel alone.