Why Childhood Friendship Is Important?
⏱ 6 min read
Yesterday, I met my first childhood friend her name is Divija. We hadn’t seen each other in months, but the moment we sat across the table, time folded in on itself. Childhood friendship is so different. There were no awkward pauses, no need to filter our words, no pretense of being “grown-ups.” Within minutes, we were laughing the kind of laughter that feels like coming home.
And as I walked back later that evening, one thought kept circling in my mind: this is why childhood friendship is important.
The Beginning: Two Kids and a Festival
My first real childhood friendship memory is tied to Ganpati. When we were children, the Ganpati festival would fill our neighborhood with joy. But our building? Nothing. No idols, no celebrations, no colors. We felt empty, as though the heart of the festival skipped over our little world.
So, one year, we decided to change that.
Armed with the kind of courage only kids possess, we brought not one but two small Ganpati idols from home. We gathered bricks from a construction site nearby, stacking them carefully to create our very own mandir on the open ground. It was uneven, wobbly, and far from perfect but to us, it was magical.
We hand-made invitations with crayons and sketch pens, running from door to door, inviting every family in the building to join us for arti. We begged our grandmothers (dadimaa) to keep a few rupees aside at the mandir, and with that little money, we bought oil for the diyas and sweets for prasad.
When the first evening arti began, I remember looking around. Families gathered. Diyas flickered in the dim light. Our voices tiny and excited filled the air with prayers. My childhood friend stood next to me, smiling proudly. And in that moment, I realized: friendship is not just about playing together. It’s about creating traditions, weaving joy into ordinary days, and holding each other’s hands while doing it.
That ritual we began in childhood still lives on. Even today, no matter how busy life gets, we meet during Ganpati. It’s our promise to each other a thread of continuity between our younger selves and the adults we’ve become.
The Innocence of Childhood Friendship
Thinking back now, the importance of childhood friendship lies in its innocence. As kids, we didn’t know jealousy, competition, or judgment.
If my friend scored higher than me in class, I didn’t feel small I felt proud. If I had a new toy, she didn’t envy it she simply played with it. If one of us fell during a game, the other picked us up, dusted our knees, and said, “Let’s play again.”
That’s the purity of childhood friendship. It’s untouched by ego or fear. It’s built on trust so natural that you don’t even realize you’re learning life lessons. Looking back, I see that my earliest ideas of loyalty, kindness, and resilience all came from my childhood friend.
Memories That Still Glow
Beyond Ganpati, the memories of my childhood friendship feel endless. We were inseparable we joined the same activity classes, and because of her, I even started dancing. Funny enough, I always ended up playing the male part while she took the female role. Two songs still stay etched in my mind: “Maya Yashoda Tere Kanha” and “Sajde Mein Yoon Hi Jhukta Hoon”. We must have danced to them a hundred times, laughing and pretending like we were on stage.
Our differences made the bond even more special. She loved to sleep in, while I was always a morning person. Every weekend, I would try to wake her up, and when she refused, I’d crawl into her bed until she finally gave in. It became our little ritual.
But our friendship wasn’t just about the two of us it spilled into so many “firsts” of my life. My first donut, my first visit to Pizza Hut, our very first night out, bike rides with my dad, and beach days with her parents. We even had shoe skates, and my parents would take us to the mall where we’d wobble, fall, and laugh endlessly.
When I look back now, I realize these weren’t just simple childhood experiences. They were the foundation of who I am today. Every memory no matter how small was a building block, shaping my joy, my confidence, and my belief in what true friendship really means.
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The Rituals That Keep Friendship Alive
Every friendship has its rituals. For us, it’s Ganpati. For you, it might be birthday calls, festival meet-ups, or an annual vacation. These rituals matter because they keep childhood friendship alive through time.
They remind you that no matter how fast life moves, some things deserve to slow down for. They’re not just about tradition; they’re about choosing each other, again and again, even decades later.
If you have a childhood friend, I urge you to create your own ritual. It doesn’t have to be big. Even a simple call every Sunday, a shared playlist, or a once-a-year meet-up can keep the bond strong.
Why Childhood Friendship Is Priceless
In a world where relationships are often fragile and temporary, childhood friendship stands out. It’s priceless because it comes with no conditions. It’s timeless because it weathers every storm.
Your childhood friend knows your first victories, your first failures, your first secrets, your first fears. They’ve seen you before life layered you with expectations, before you learned to hide behind masks. They know the truest version of you — and love you anyway.
That’s why the importance of childhood friendship cannot be overstated. These bonds are treasures, and the older I get, the more I realize how rare and beautiful they are.
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A Gentle Reminder for You
If you’re reading this, pause for a moment. Think of your own childhood friend. Do you remember the games you played, the festivals you celebrated, the secrets you whispered late into the night? Do you remember how it felt to laugh without worrying who was watching, to cry without fear of being judged?
Maybe it’s been years since you spoke. Maybe life got in the way. But here’s the thing: childhood friendship never truly leaves you. All it takes is one call, one text, one shared memory to light it up again.
So maybe today is the day. Reach out. Say hello. Relive the joy. Because if there’s one thing life has taught me, it’s this: childhood friendship is too precious to forget.
