Back when Friendship Day meant bands, not hashtags
Each band carried a story. A memory. A giggle shared over a lunchbox. A secret whispered in the back row. A note was passed during math class. And it was visible. You wore your friendships on your sleeve literally.There was something unspoken about it, too, like who tied the first band on your wrist, and who you tied one for without them asking. Some even came with rivalry: "She gave her that silver one? I only got a rubber band?" But the drama was harmless and, in retrospect, kind of sweet.THE RITUAL WE DIDN'T KNOW WE WOULD MISSWe didn't realise we were creating traditions. That ten-minute chaos before the bell rang. That mid-class whisper: "Tie it now or ma'am will see!" Or that one shy friend who'd quietly leave a band on your desk.There were also those you didn't expect a band from, yet they'd surprise you. And that meant the world. Even the simplest band, even the tiniest gesture, could light up your entire week.It wasn't about how fancy it was. It was about being remembered. Being chosen.
WHEN FRIENDSHIP DAY BECAME A DIGITAL AFFAIRNow, the vibe's different. Friendship Day arrives quietly. A few posts go up on Instagram stories photos from the archives, tags, trending music. Some DMs exchanged. Maybe a group text with a meme or two.No one ties anything. No one carries bands. No one rushes to the local shop asking, 'Bhaiya, vo friendship band waale aaye kya?'
There's no weight on our wrists any more. But somehow, our hearts feel the difference.A THREAD AROUND THE WRIST, A MEMORY IN THE HEARTOnce in a while, you'll be cleaning out an old drawer and find one of those bands. Maybe it's faded, maybe the bead's missing, but it'll stop you in your tracks. It'll take you back to chalk dust and chart paper, to classroom whispers, to the smell of glue and glitter.And at that moment, you'll remember the warmth of being remembered. Of someone choosing you to tie a thread to. Not for the post. Not for the tag. But just because you mattered to them in that small, school-world kind of way.
Because long before stories disappeared in 24 hours, friendship bands stayed on for days, sometimes till they faded, frayed, or fell off on their own. They weren't shared with the world, but they meant the world. And maybe, just maybe, we all still crave that kind of friendship, one you can feel on your skin, not just double-tap on a screen.- EndsMust Watch
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