A Diverse Lineup

I've written about friends and my process of selecting them.

While I don't have many friends, the ones I do have are quite a mixed bunch.

I have friends who are gay (and I don't just mean happy). I have friends who don't want to have anything to do with homosexuals.

I have friends who are social butterflies, and those who are introverts.

I have friends who are unmistakably liberal, and a couple of closet conservatives.

I have friends who are artistic, and others who couldn't draw (or even know how to appreciate art) to save their lives.

I have friends who are left-brained, and tons who are right-brained.

I could as easily hang out with my wordsmith pals as with my engineer-types.

I am friends with housewives and with career-driven women.

I have friends who are single at 50 (and loving it!) and who're married with kids.

I have Indian friends, multi-ethnic friends, and those who don't care about origins.

I have Christian friends and atheists.

Some of my friends love cooking while others would only do take-out.

I have friends who are luddites and those who could run seminars on how to take advantage of all things gadgety.

I have super-active friends and those who'd rather laze it out on a Sunday afternoon.

I have friends who abhor meat and those who devour it like there's no tomorrow.

I have friends who share my passions of traveling and writing and those who open my mind to other things I'd never dare (read: skydiving).

I am friends with people 10 years younger than me and those who're older than my parents.

And when I say friends, I don't mean acquaintances. These are all people I'd love to host at home, spend an afternoon with, have engaging conversations with, and in general like to be around.

I've wondered sometimes what it'd be like if some of them met each other. I wouldn't say any of these friends would be intolerant of another person's beliefs or lifestyles, but it would sure make for some interesting interactions.

Sometimes I feel I'm in the middle of two opposing camps, but the one thing all of them have in common is that they enrich my life. They expose me to new thoughts, ideas, and experiences and for that I am grateful.

They add a new dimension to my life and don't believe in pretenses.

They are important threads in my tapestry of life - vibrant, strong, colorful, and varied.

Article Author: Mansi Bhatia

Mansi Bhatia is a writer/editor by profession and nitpicker by choice. Armed with a master's degree in journalism and married to an engineer, she is a cross between a super-communicative nerd and an introspective geek.

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