# The Coffee Shop in Hemant

One autumn evening, a few friends gathered at a coffee shop. They were all past sixty. Among them were some who had never met before—they had come along with mutual acquaintances. As they talked, two of the older men discovered something: they had attended the same school, sat in the same classroom. One had been roll number forty-seven; the other, fifty-four. This sudden recognition moved them deeply. In their joy, they embraced. There are few bonds as pure as the friendships forged in schooldays.

Ah, after so many years, two people had found their school friend! School is a most beautiful place for friendship to take root. Both men suffered from arthritis; walking about caused them considerable pain. What was curious was how differently they viewed their affliction. One had resigned himself to it—at this age, such things are inevitable. Nothing could be done. Better simply to accept it. The other believed that with strong willpower, arthritis could be overcome. If he could keep himself in good condition, the disease would eventually fade.

Both philosophies are admirable and necessary. Why? In this world, much happens beyond our control. Try as we might, we cannot solve every problem. In such moments, what choice do we have but to accept what fate brings? Does fighting alone win us everything? Sometimes accepting certain events makes living easier and more bearable. But consider the other man's thinking too: to live, we must often rely on the strength of the mind. When a man past sixty loses his mental strength, living becomes unbearably difficult. For one whose spirit has dimmed, life and death are equally meaningless. We live chiefly by the power of mind. Some grow old at forty when their spirit withers; others, by drawing on their mental reserves, remain young well past seventy.

That evening brought together two old friends who had had almost no contact for nearly four decades. Because of it, the remainder of their lives became easier and more beautiful to live. When you find a hand to hold, your own strength grows manifold. It is not that a person cannot live alone; but if, along the journey, you find someone with whom to walk the rest of the way—someone who strengthens your resolve, kindles your will to live, and lightens the burden of your questions—then the curse of age begins slowly to lift. There is no greater wealth than friendship.