ne call was all it took to completely change my evening plans from heading to a friend’s place nearby to spontaneously hitting the motorway towards another friend in a different city. That’s some power right there — the ability someone has to make you pivot your life with a simple suggestion.

Honestly, it was a typical weekday evening. I was about to visit my go-to friend in town for coffee, casually catching up with friends during my drive. I have this particular friend I talk to regularly. Within about 20 seconds into the call, he asked, “Where are you?” When I replied that I was on the road, he smoothly and convincingly said, “Well, you should be on the motorway,” subtly nudging me to head his way instead.

Suddenly, it was 8 pm and without a prior thought I had turned my car into a spontaneous getaway vehicle, bunking my hometown for adventure. The best plans, as I’ve discovered, are always the ones never planned — flavoured perfectly with spontaneity, thrill, and of course, comfort.

Ali and I have been friends for seven years now. Wow, writing that feels surreal. It seems like just yesterday we were mere acquaintances. But with him, we entirely skipped the getting-to-know-each-other stage. You know the type of friendship — straight to best friends, bypassing all those basic introductory hoops. It’s that instant click, undeniable and rare. Even people who didn’t know us well often assumed we were brothers or cousins. We never corrected them; why would we? It felt true.

Two days into my spontaneous stay at Ali’s, another friend asked, “It’s been two days — what do you guys even talk about?” I paused for a moment, puzzled myself. How had I ended up here, completely at ease, as though I planned to stay indefinitely?

The simple truth was comfort. With Ali, it felt like a friendship ordained by fate. It wasn’t just our interactions that brought ease; it was our lives, shaped apart yet mirrored similar households, identical values and shared principles. All the tiny, seemingly insignificant details came together to create an instant connection.

This introspection led me to another curious finding. A quick side-note: I love going all Sherlock Holmes on myself — it’s probably my favourite form of self-care. It helps me unravel the complexities of my own being and grow in multifaceted, occasionally amusing ways. The discovery itself was pretty straightforward, but after 30 years of being human, certain philosophies finally get solidified with evidence — things you suspected at 20 but needed another decade to confirm.

Reflecting on my past, I realised that each phase of life had its own distinct feeling attached to it. I’d describe it as a feeling of love, simply because love itself is unexplainably wonderful. If I were asked to describe this feeling, I’d be at a loss for words.

Take a moment, look back at your own life, and you’ll notice each chapter has this elusive yet recognisable emotional signature — something so simple, yet incredibly diverse and beautiful.

Digging deeper, trying to articulate this elusive feeling, I realised that it had always been about being comfortable with myself. Anyone who’s ever made me feel at ease in my own skin has unlocked the emotions that run deep within me. Thank goodness life blesses us with such people who effortlessly highlight how beautiful existence truly is. Moments like these reveal just how magical the workings of destiny can be — the subtle butterfly effects set in motion years ago, quietly orchestrating spontaneous yet profound connections that leave us truly awestruck.

Shaafay Zia is an ex-serviceman and a freelancer. He can be reached at shaafayzia@gmail.com