Dear Ishu,

You got married today.

I know this is, objectively, a very normal life event.
People get married every day. Families plan for months. WhatsApp groups explode.
Entire economies probably survive because of weddings.

And yet, this one feels strangely personal.
Unreasonably personal.
Like someone edited a chapter of my own life without asking me first.

Because in my head, we are still in undergrad.
You are still very confidently explaining why you would never marry someone you dated in college.
And I am still listening, knowing that life has a sharp sense of humor,
and especially enjoys humbling people who speak in absolutes.

So first of all,
congratulations on this remarkable character development! XD

I’ve been trying to figure out what to say to you today, and the truth is, there are too many years, too many memories, and too many almost-fell-off-your-terrible-bike moments to fit into one letter.
But there are a few things I should probably say at least once in this lifetime.

You taught me how to live a little more.
You dragged me into doing things I would have never done on my own.
You stood up for me when I couldn’t, and, more inconveniently,
you made me stand up for myself when I really didn’t want to.

Maybe for you, that was just friendship.
For me, it changed who I became.

I still think about the small, ordinary moments the most.
Economics classes where the professor was annoyed because we wouldn’t stop talking.
You sweet-talking that same professor into giving us the best possible score for a presentation we never even gave.
And of course, all the near-death experiences caused by your truly questionable bike-driving skills (which I am still amazed I survived long enough to write this letter).
Bangalore, Kodai, and all the chaos in between.

But more than any trip or story, what stayed with me were the conversations.
Long, philosophical, slightly dramatic discussions about life and people and everything that felt important at twenty.
All the days I was angry at the world, and you helped me see it differently.

Even now, sometimes I still catch myself thinking,
What would Sarthak do?
Which is honestly very inconvenient,
because you are usually annoyingly reasonable.

I don’t say this easily, and please don’t get used to it,
but you shaped my life.
And I am a better person because of you.

It has been more than five years since I last saw you.
Somehow we both grew up, became responsible adults, or at least people pretending convincingly,
and reached this moment where you, the same person who once had strong opinions about not marrying college sweethearts,
are now marrying yours.

And the truth is, I think you knew long before anyone else did.
You wanted me to meet Pankita even before you started dating her.
Maybe somewhere, even then, you already understood what this would become.

I wish I could have been there today.
Especially because this is the one time you asked me so insistently.
Not being there doesn’t sit right with me, and I know it mattered to you.
(Also, as far as I remember, I was supposed to give you away. XD)

But more than anything, I hope this:
that we never become the kind of friends who only appear for milestones.
I want the ordinary updates too.
The random calls.
At least the monthly tea, if not the daily nonsense, we once discussed as if it were world policy.

And before this becomes too emotional and permanently damages my reputation,
let the record show:
This is the first and last time I am praising you this much.
If this is ever mentioned again, I will deny everything.
I also still have enough embarrassing stories to restore balance whenever required.

I couldn’t be there to witness your wedding.
But I am, and always will be, on your side,
cheering for your happiness, your peace,
and the beautiful life you are building with Pankita.

I am proud of you.
I am happy for you.
And I am deeply grateful
that in this very large world,
I got to have a friend like you.

Congratulations to both of you!

With love that five years of distance could not reduce,
Shrusti