A year ago I reached a low point in my life after a terrible break-up. The same year, I lost so many of my friends to the extent that I stopped counting. When I say lost, I mean they either drifted away to other places or priorities or I had reached a point where I could not relate to them one bit and it felt like I was speaking to strangers. They were disinterested in me and my life and I was disinterested in them and their lives. There was no feeling. I felt numb and numb can be very terrifying. In some cases, my friendships ended over nasty misunderstandings and inappropriate crossing of the delicate lines of friendship.

Regardless of how these friendships ended, they all ended at nearly the same time. And it was real scary. To have my heart broken was one thing and to add to it, all my friends were abandoning me like I was a sinking ship. The few friends I had I could count on one hand and I was really scared that they would leave too. And then what? “You’ll have NO friends” popped up like a notification in my head. It really freaked me out.

I am not suggesting that I am terrified of being alone. I have embraced solitude before and I’d do it again as I find it to be truly helpful in deep reflection and focus and perspective. All I was worried about was the thought of not having good company around me. The kind of company that makes you come out alive. That was missing. Old friendships that pulled along with time had nothing more to contribute to me, neither did I have anything to contribute to them.

Furthermore, the relationship that came down crashing, also had in it a very beautiful friendship. The kind that is as rare as winning the lottery, the kind that excites you every day, the kind that inspires you and changes you for good. The guy and I clicked like magic when we were just friends. I was convinced once it was all over, that it would never happen again. I will never have that kind of friendship again. I was certain, that it was a once-in-a-lifetime kind of chemistry and that it could never manifest again. Ever. I was saddened, that my friendships were going to be “settling” from here on forward because obviously, that threshold of that magical friendship could never be surpassed much less replicated.

Then entered the most important book I read in my life; The Secret. This experience of mine was my very first demonstration that The Secret works. To deviate a little from the present topic, even as I always read and applauded all the stories written by people all over the world on this website, I believed that one day I would have something of my own experience with The Secret to share right here. And one day I would share it and, voila!

So after reading The Secret, I declared to the Universe last month that I wanted the most amazing and most magical friendship there ever can be. I asked that I get my heart’s desire; the warmth, courage, support and love that a friendship offers. I explained to the Universe how my friendships had become dull and pointless and how I always wanted them bright and sparkly. That they should help me grow and laugh and count my blessings. I commanded that the Universe bring me a friend who surpasses that past threshold and makes me reach a point of exhilaration. I made it clear that I didn’t want to hold hands or predict a future with that somebody. That I only wanted a really amazing, heartwarming friendship.

I asked for all this last month and went on with my life being grateful for the few friendships that managed to last and having real fun in them. I felt the feelings of contentment and joy, now.

Yesterday was August 2nd, World Friendship Day. Nothing spectacular happened. Infact an old friend whom I had fallen apart with, wrote me a long email to free himself of guilt. It seemed like a careless, hurried apology to get some burden of guilt off his back.

And then today happened. I went to meet this guy whom I only communicated with over emails for two weeks. I don’t know him personally. Neither is he an acquaintance. He isn’t even a mutual friend. I read an article he wrote for an op-ed column in the newspaper, loved the article and wrote back to him, telling him that I loved the article. Honestly, I am not even someone who praises anybody that much, but sure, I write an email to a random stranger applauding his writing. Real subtle, Universe!

And one thing leads to another. We talk a little more all on emails, and then discover, we live in the same city. We hadn’t even seen each other’s pictures at this point. This morning we both made it to a meeting at a cafe that we had planned four days prior. It was this morning that we saw each other face-to-face for the first time. I had decided that I would spend near about two hours and then leave.

What happened within two hours of conversation shocked me! We spoke seven hours straight at the coffee shop and he was the amazing friendship the Universe brought for me. My order was delivered to me in flesh and blood and was sitting right in front of me and laughing and talking and bringing me oodles of joy. He was everything and more of that threshold. Actually he was way way beyond the threshold. He was witty and brainy and kind and grounded and an equal match to me in every which way! And we clicked like magic. It didn’t need time. It was instantaneous. It was almost unbelievable. I knew the forces behind this unexplained (yet explained) chance encounter. I knew it was The Secret and nothing else. The Secret gave me this wonderful friend. One whom I know by instinct that I will value for a lifetime.

I am so happy today, that I want to call being happy “The Secret” today! Rhonda, you amazing woman, you don’t know how thankful I am to have found you!