Just right for warm, cinnamony conversation! Pic courtesy: Avinash and Radhika

Had a cinnamon roll with my mid-morning chai today. What made it extra special, other than the fact that it tasted pretty awesome, is that a friend made it. The baker in question is Radhika. She and her husband Avinash are two of our closest friends. My husband, little fellow and I go see them or have a meal with them, whenever we can. We know they are there for us, and we hope they feel the same.

When my husband went out of town last week, he asked Avinash and Radhika to keep an eye on me and little man. Of course, I was intensely irritated with him for doing so. After all, I am an adult and I don’t need someone watching over me! But then I was also secretly touched he worried about us. And our friends did check in on us, one evening on their way home from work. I found I was happier and less lonely because they came by. This past Sunday too, all of us met for lunch. And Radhika brought us some of her home-baked cinnamon rolls.

Friends like this couple are special, even more so, in this highly ‘connected’ world where we are all Facebook ‘friends’ and ‘like’ every aspect of each others’ lives. I have another friend who lives alone in Bangalore. She shops online for clothes, books, food, groceries; she even does her work online. Which means she doesn’t really need to venture out of her home. Unless she wants to. She is connected 24X7 to the rest of the world, but there are times when she feels intensely lonely and alone. So then she calls me. And we meet for a coffee, some cookies (or a danish or a muffin!) and a gossip session.

There’s really nothing more wonderful than having friends who care. Because sometimes, this constantly ‘connected’ world of ours means nothing. Specially if there’s no one you can sit down with to have a conversation, a warm cuddle or hug. Or a cinnamon roll.