F.R.I.E.N.D.S. Forever!

Phoebe. Joey. Rachel. Ross. Monica. Chandler.

These characters are our homies. We go back to them again and again whenever life gets real. They are like a warm sip in a cup of Latte on a rainy afternoon.

We all know that -

Chandler Bing is synonymous with sarcasm.

Phoebe Buffay is the hippie with loads of warmth and empathy.

Monica Geller is bossy and sassy and the quintessential Keeper.

Ross Geller is a hopeless romantic desperate for love (read: Rachel)

Joey Tribbiani is the baby of the gang and the OG Foodie!

Rachel Green is the heartthrob and forever confused in love!

But beneath the layer of these predictabilities and idiosyncracies lies disturbed individuals with troubled pasts. If you delve deep, their past and present are as much fraught with problems and struggles as ours (in some cases, even more!). But what strikes out is their bonding and the way they tackle the challenges.

Phoebe had a violent past. Her father had left her, and her mother had committed suicide. She grew up on the streets and in foster homes with no regular childhood. That explains her weird temperament. But what shines out is her heart of gold, her love for animals, and her relentless efforts to fend for herself by doing a string of odd jobs. She even goes to the extent of being a surrogate mother for her step-brother to help the latter become a parent.

Chandler grew up in a troubled household. With a transgender father and an overtly sensuous mother (also a writer of steamy romcoms), he could never come to terms with the idea of a happy family. His Thanksgiving was ruined forever when his parents informed him about their divorce during a Thanksgiving dinner. He grew up to be a scarred individual and a commitment-phobic. Wit and sarcasm became his escape. Yet, deep inside, he craved genuine warmth and attachment. So much so that Chandler was both Ross's best friend and Joey's confidant. And when love bloomed between him and Monica, he evolved into this deeply sensitive, caring, and committed boyfriend that women die for!

Monica and her endless fuss over cleanliness, coupled with her innate desire to be the best at everything, also stems from a childhood trauma. Monica was not the favored or the celebrated child. Ross, being the coveted first-born male child, always commanded attention. No wonder Monica forever stayed in his shadows and craved to be the best at every event, sport, and competition! But she never let her parents come in the way of her bonding with Ross. The siblings stood by each other despite the toxic comparisons of their parents. What also stands apart is Monica's caring nature to provide for everyone - her Thanksgiving menu has achieved a cult status. She handheld Chandler through the early days of their relationship and turned him into this secure, mature, and confident individual. She literally fed Joey throughout. Monica is a true keeper and giver.

Joey had the most sorted childhood of the lot. He does not come from an affluent background, nor did he get any fancy education. But with a large family and a secure childhood, Joey is full of fun. Being conscious about his good looks early on, he pursued acting. As offers were hard to come by, he resorted to odd jobs to pay the bills. His camaraderie with Chandler is epic, and as roommates, they provide some of the most hilarious laughs! His priorities are sorted - great food and hot babes. However, not once he comes across as derogatory or offensive towards women. Lazy and simpleton by nature, Joey cries like a baby, hogs food like a dinosaur, and hugs like a mother! Chandler and Monica almost adopt him as their foster child as the show progresses.

Ross, the romantic, is the ideal guy. He is mature, academically bright, and successful. But life falls apart once he gets married. After his first divorce from Carol, Ross turned into this doubting, stubborn, egoistic partner. No wonder Rachel had a hard time and eventually broke up with him. Most of his romantic liaisons turn upside down - resulting in a string of marriages and divorces - some deliberate, some by accident! What all of us could see was something Ross and Rachel chose to ignore - they were destined to be together. The more they drifted apart, the more chaotic it became. However, what's important is Ross's constant pursuit of meaningful relationships that finally ends with Rachel. His character is a constant reminder that relationships are not a bed of roses, even for the most genuine, committed guy.

Rachel, the Queen of Hearts, hails from an affluent family of doctors. She had been the Prom Queen, the uncrowned Princess, and broke hearts at will (including Ross' in high school). Also, she was a dependent, flimsy, selfish girl whose life revolved around everything fancy and far from reality. It is during her stay with this gang that she manages to carve a niche for herself. She struggles with the waitress job and finds her way into the fashion industry, where she shines and finds her true calling. She grows as an individual, learns to manage her chores, pays her bills, looks for stability in relationships, and, lastly, becomes a mother. Her fights with Ross are rib-tickling scene-stealers. She outgrows her expectations, and life comes to a full circle as she reunites with Ross.

Be it as parents, spouses, friends, or children - friendship is the foundation of every relationship, and humor keeps all relationships alive. Friends is an emphatic reassurance of the beauty of all relationships in our lives. The show is a breath of fresh air in this age of twisted truths and alienated individuals. It's like a soft comforter that keeps you warm and protected on a chilly night. It's as pure as the trust of a baby when it shuts its eyes, believing that no one can harm it.

Forty years after it first aired on satellite television, Friends is eternal in its relevance and appeal -

"I'll be there for you

When the rain starts to pour

I'll be there for you

Like I've been there before"