by Neel Nanda

Created on: January 20, 2007   Last Updated: April 23, 2007

It was only a few days ago when I sat aimlessly in a classroom staring at a board filled with chemical formulas and equations. I found that I could relate love and friendship to this one simple formula.
The formula that I was observing was a synthesis formula, in which reactants were added to each other to form a product. This product was in another state of matter, something that made no sense, something that didn't seem possible. I then realized that the definition of synthesis is becoming something that you are not. In this reaction the reactants combined parts and became one unit, one formula with shared characteristics.

I suddenly realized that we as people do the same thing. We take bits and pieces of others who have taken bits and pieces of others and we in turn become something we are not. Immediately I thought, 'Why can't we just be ouselves? Why be synthetic when we can be ourselves?'
As I continued overanalyzing the problem I realized that if the products did not synthesize, there would be too many products and it would complicate the whole equation. I also realized that if we did not open ourselves and become parts of others, we would make everything more complicated than i'm making this problem. We need bits and pieces of others who have taken from others to simplify life, to accept what we have and move on.
Believe it or not, I continued overanalyzing the problem. I then noticed that the synthesis of the products were between two chemicals, even though there were other products in the atmosphere in the time of the reaction. Why weren't they included in the reaction? Did they just disappear?
No. We only attatch to one person and completely share ourselves with one person in terms of friendship. Sure there are others in the atmosphere when we live out our own equation, but are they the ones we latch on to? Or are they just negligable? I wouldn't go so far as to saying that only one person in your life matters but I would have to agree that we choose that special someone that certian friend that we completely share ourselves with. We need that person to keep us sane, and stable. We need them to keep our energy level to a minimum so we don't get completely out of control. Others are just acquaintances after we find that one true friend.
Maybe it was just an equation that should've been left alone, or solved, or synthesized. Maybe every equation can help us explain ourselves and others around us. Maybe we should analyze everything we see. Maybe we should just let it go, let it slide, learn the ability to truly let things slide. In the words of the great philosipher Socrates "Remember that there is nothing stable in human affairs; therefore avoid undue elation in prosperity, or undue depression in adversity."

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