By Some friendships aren’t built on daily conversations or frequent meetings. They survive in the quiet corners of shared interests, in the echoes of old conversations, and in the silent understanding that no matter how far life takes us, some connections never fade.
Sri Binodini and I met, quite accidentally, at HLF 2018 in Hyderabad. It was one of those weird moments where you feel like you should talk to someone, but for some reason, you don’t. We barely met, and our plans to catch up often remained just that plans. But amidst all of this, there was one thing that kept our bond alive books.
Books became our language, our bridge. We shared memes, reviews, and recommendations, though we never really exchanged books in the literal sense. I remember gifting her a book on her birthday once, and her reaction caught me off guard, she said, “This is my first book as a gift.” That left me wondering how could no one have thought of gifting her books when they knew how much she loved them? People around her must have known how deeply she loved literature. And yet, that book, from me, was the first she ever received as a gift.
From 2018 to 2022, she carried a dream the American dream. She wanted to go to the U.S., to build a life of her own, while I, selfishly, wished she would stay back. Those were the early days of TheBookDate, our small but passionate book club, and I wanted her to be part of it. But life had other plans. She moved to the States. I, on the other hand, had a different perspective. I asked her to stay back in India, mostly because those were the early days of TheBookDate, a book club we wanted to create together. The idea was simple: a space for book lovers to meet, discuss literature, and celebrate storytelling. But dreams have their own timelines, and while I wished she would be part of this journey in India, she had bigger aspirations.
Eventually, she moved to the U.S., and our conversations, once filled with endless book discussions and daily exchanges, started fading into sporadic check-ins. What once was a frequent chat turned into an occasional message—a meme here, a book recommendation there, and then sometimes, nothing at all for weeks.
Yet, the idea of TheBookDate never truly died.
Fast forward to 2023 life brought me to the U.S. for my master’s. And just like that, I reconnected with Binodini. We picked up where we had left off not in the sense of frequent conversations, but in the shared understanding that books and ideas always kept us tethered. And with that, the dream of rebuilding TheBookDate rekindled. Life had taken us in different directions, but the love for books, the passion for stories, and the dream of creating a community around literature remained unchanged.
Today is her birthday. And like every year, I won’t be wishing her. Not because I don’t want to, but because it’s our thing. She’ll sarcastically call me out on it, and I’ll pretend I forgot, and this strange little tradition of ours will continue. But in my silence, there’s a wish a quiet, sincere one. It’s my way of acknowledging the day without following the conventional script.
I wish for her to achieve everything she dreams of, to find success, a fulfilling job, and most importantly, a happiness that stays. I wish for her to find someone who truly understands her (because, let’s be honest, her track record in that department has been questionable hahaha).
But whether I say it out loud or not, whether she hears it or not, she should know I do wish her, I do pray for her, and so does TheBookDate.
Happy Birthday
Hey Rekha, (finally your real name). If there was one thing that strung us together through the years, it was our shared love for books. We weren’t the kind of friends who texted every day or met often. Instead, our conversations existed in fragments.
You wanted to move to the U.S., to build something of your own, to carve out a life that you envisioned for yourself. And while I supported you, I wished you would stay back. Why? Because those were the initial days of TheBookDate, the book club that we had started. I knew you could do great things here, that you could make an impact in ways beyond just your personal success. But dreams are meant to be chased, and you went after yours.
And so, you left.
So here we are today your birthday. And like every year, I won’t be wishing you. Not because I don’t care, but because, for some reason, this tradition of mine continues. I don’t know why I do it, but maybe it’s my way of standing apart from the dozens of texts and calls you’ll receive today. Maybe it’s because I know that my prayers, though silent, hold more weight than a simple “Happy Birthday” message.
So, Binodini, here is what I wish for you:
- I wish for you to achieve everything you have set your heart on. The career, the success, the recognition you deserve it all.
- I wish for you to find true happiness, not the fleeting kind that comes and goes but the kind that stays and grows with you.
- I wish for you to find someone who sees you for who you truly are because, let’s be honest, your track record with choosing people hasn’t exactly been stellar (yes, I had to say it, hahaha). But I do hope you find someone who matches your passion, your kindness, and your dreams.
- And lastly, I wish for TheBookDate to flourish. Because it isn’t just an idea anymore. it’s a legacy that needs to be built, a vision that deserves to be realized.
TheBookDate Wishes Too
As much as this post is from me, it’s also from TheBookDate—a dream we once started, put on hold, and are now determined to bring back to life. Books brought us together. Books kept us connected. And now, books will be the reason we build something meaningful again.
So, on behalf of myself, and on behalf of TheBookDate, here’s an unsaid, unwritten, and yet deeply felt wish:
Happy Birthday, Rekha.
May your shelves always be full, may your dreams always be big, and may your life always be a story worth telling.
— A Friend Who Never Wishes, But Always Prays.
