FRIENDS

 There’s something about F.R.I.E.N.D.S that just sticks with you. No matter how many times I’ve rewatched it, there’s always a moment that feels brand new and at the same time, so familiar.

Maybe it’s the comfort of hearing the theme song, maybe it’s Joey being Joey, or Ross saying “we were on a break” for the hundredth time. But honestly, what pulls me back each time isn’t just the jokes. It’s the feeling. That subtle, warm, unexplainable feeling of being with people who get you even when they don’t.

What I really love is how F.R.I.E.N.D.S managed to make life feel real and ridiculous at the same time. They talked about breakups, infertility, loneliness, job struggles, identity without making it feel heavy. Things were normalized. They laughed, cried, yelled, and showed us that it’s okay to be a mess sometimes. That’s powerful.

And you know those moments, those rare, quiet ones that just hit you? Like when Monica proposes to Chandler. Or when Rachel gets off the plane. Or that time Phoebe sings “Smelly Cat” and somehow it feels like an anthem for being yourself unapologetically. Those are the “once in a time” moments. The ones you don’t even realize are shaping you until much later.

F.R.I.E.N.D.S reminded me that life is big, but it's made of small things. Couch talks. Late-night pizzas. Mistimed jokes. Support when you didn’t even ask. And if you’re lucky, you find your own version of Central Perk and your people to sit around that orange couch.

So yeah, I don’t just watch F.R.I.E.N.D.S. I live a little through it. Every time.