Comics, Friends, Pathos

A week and more has passed since the day that we called off as the “Friendship Day” happened. And I was refusing myself to stay away from blogging any friendship quotes or thoughts because I found it too stale and superficial with the poetry that overflows with no emotions on the Facebook walls of the world. But a certain inward push got me here. It happened with me coming across a nostalgic friendship turn while exploring the apps on Ipad. I own it since six months now, and I was immensely feeling like a fool to have found it only now. (Please overlook the techno-handicap in me) So, which app is that I’m creating such a lot of fuss about?

It’s the – Archie Comics- the comical adventure that has been staged since varied decades and has been a great friendship anthem to all those who were vividly fond of reading comics. And, YES I was one among them. Having no qualms about declaring myself as a great fan of comics, I have enjoyed a great deal of them including our own Amar Chitra Katha, Tinkle comics and Chacha Chaudhary adventures. Now when I look back to them, they seem all childish and predictable…But well, that was the fun of being innocent, right?

So, surfacing back to the Archie fiasco…I was put through a realm of wonderful moments being re-introduced to Archie and his gang. Haven’t we drawn resemblances to the Archie gang, as we stood up to our varied friendships? Well, the setting and place of occurrence is completely devoid our connection. But when I generalize it, each of the member from Archie club is a category to the friends we meet and depart with. All of us have had a leader-do-gooder-charmer like Archie, the simple-good-hearted lass like Betty, the suave-sophisticated-arrogant like Veronica, the brash-bully like Reggie and the food-freak, girl-hater like Jughead…and so much more likeables in our group of friends. It’s a common expression to like them or hate them for whatever they are identified with, but have we ever wondered about how their characteristics reflect on us. 

Well, I thought I’ll discuss the friendship pathos then - the negative reflections. Well, I do know that it’s never discussed nor even thought about, but why not stride along the less traveled?

 “Pathos” is a general expression to all kinds of relationships. But isn’t friendship, that one relationship that’s free off all the baggage. Friends are the only souls whom one can love and hate at the same time and not feel bad about it. But how far true is that one tagline? Well, speaking for myself…I find friendship, the most delicate relationship these days. Unless you take your efforts to make things work, lot of it seems shaky and out of control. But in this era of extremes; egos and busy-lives are reasons enough to break or make any relationship; so it be the one involving friends. Starting from where one stopped every time you meet with an ol’ friend that you have stayed out of touch is my way understanding and evaluating the friendship value between the two. Most of my friends circle around this theory cos I for one don’t take time to bury off the time that has passed by. And belonging to the “nostalgia” group of people as mentioned by a good friend of mine in her research of characterizing people, I often love to travel along the past lanes…The lanes where I have detached myself from all and sought to the ones that remain or refuse to leave…And there I spring upon true-friendship.

I’m not a veteran at this act or theory of detachment…but it sure has given a platform to put down my pathos of any relationship and later embrace the bitter-sweet truth. I take it forward as my understanding of this not so complicated relationship (as in the eyes of many) called friendship, but Hell, I know it aint as easy as it seemed for Archie and his gang.