There is something very special about our friends from childhood. The bond we share with them is incomparable. No matter how many best friends we make later in our lives, our first friends will always be cherished more. Those were the times when friendship happened over shared benches, innocent fights, vague gossip and favorite lunches. Also, the ones we went back to, after school, to play out in the street in the evening. They were our default buddies because, well, they were just a doorbell away. Evenings were more or less a roll call to play some or the other self-created version of hide-and-seek or just aimless cycling and exploring new nooks and crannies.

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Most of us have moved out of our childhood homes for work and school is a story of past but the friendship we all built together, day after day, lives on.

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What makes childhood friends so special? Read on and share with all those who have been there all along.

1. You can be your demented self around them and they won’t judge you for it

They have seen you at the best and worst of times. You all have practically grown up together. They were there when you were crushing hard on that cute new boy in the class or your rebellious teenage years where your parents seemed like dictators to you. Sitting on park benches, you have shared tiny details about everything. There always are age-old inside jokes that still crack you up and only they can get that.

Being your crazy self around them is absolutely okay. You can act around all day, wear a mask for the world but there always should be someone you can be your true self around. There is no one better than your childhood buddies.

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2. You never had to think about first impressions with them

She has always been your friend. You don’t even remember when you guys met but it has been years and you are still close to her than most people. You never had to impress her with a cool bike or Armani glares or any kind of show off. She used to wear hand-me-downs of her brother and still was the most beautiful person you knew, still is. Even if you meet them years later, there is never an awkward pause. You guys take it from where you left, even if that involves a five-hour talk session on how and what life has been for the last 10 years.

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3. So many ‘Remember when’ scenarios together

Remember when we rang Mrs. Sharma’s doorbell and stood there with puppy-dog eyes claiming that we were innocent and that Tarun rang the bell? Blame shifting like a pro at the age of 8.

Do you remember the wedding we all crashed together after your 10th birthday party because we all wanted to have Pepsi?

Remember when we drew Gallery in whitewash paint that we got from Mr. Verma’s house while it was undergoing renovation?
Remember that winter evening when we went for ice cream right after you broke up with your first girlfriend?

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So many feels.

You have lived the madness together. The stories never end. There were no phones or Facebook to keep in touch. It was just pure friendship that held you guys together.

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4. They keep you grounded and are not afraid to hurt your feelings

Your childhood friends are your best critics. They remind you of who you are in times when you lose touch with yourself. They won’t sugarcoat things just to save you from being hurt. They are honest and brutal at that.

If you have gained weight, they will tell you. If you were being clingy in a relationship that recently saw doom, they will say that on your face. If you seem to have reached a professional rut and it seems that you are not happy with your job, they will press you until you come clean about it and then promise to do something about it. If you are becoming an arrogant, snooty person, they will show you your place.

They are harsh because they know you can handle and that, whatever be the case, they are there to hold you and keep you grounded.

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5. They are always there

Addresses may have changed and doorbells don’t ring that often in the evening anymore. No one screams your name from their balcony to ask if you are coming over to see Swat Kats. You all are busy in professional ventures but still, every once in a while, you guys meet and there is nothing in the world that matters then.

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From across the street to Skype/FaceTime gossip sessions, some friendships are forever.

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Share this with your childhood friends to show that you haven’t forgotten anything. Go down the nostalgia lane together!

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