The Ruby Reunion: Reclaiming Time, Rediscovering Friendship

As I drove back from the JJMMC Class of 1985 Ruby Reunion at Windflower Prakruthi Resorts, Bangalore, my heart carried an unusual mix of heaviness and fulfilment. Forty years had passed since our first day in medical school—a lifetime by any measure. Yet, in those two magical days, it felt as though time had hit the rewind button. For a brief moment, we were all twenty again—laughing, teasing, dancing, and sharing the same dreams that once bound us within the old walls of JJMMC.

There is something profoundly rejuvenating about reunions. They remind us that while the world changes around us, the essence of friendship remains timeless. As Khalil Gibran beautifully said, “Friendship is always a sweet responsibility, never an opportunity.”

Of Youth Revisited

The first moments were filled with awkward smiles and hesitant hugs—after all, four decades had left their marks. Yet within minutes, the old camaraderie returned. The laughter that once echoed in hostel corridors now filled the resort lawns. The meet, greet, and eat session was just the beginning of rediscovering lost connections.

Soon, rehearsals for the evening’s dance and singing turned into a joyful chaos. Our joints might have protested, but our spirits didn’t. We were not chasing perfection; we were simply celebrating presence. Someone joked, “We’ve gone from stethoscopes to spectacles, but the rhythm of life remains the same.”

During those hours of preparation, something profound unfolded—friendship, like good music, does not age; it simply finds a new tempo. We were, as one classmate put it, “imperfectly perfect.”

Unpolished Diamonds Shine

The cultural night was our own little talent show. The “bathroom singers” turned into crooners; the shy ones stole the spotlight. A lungi dance became the unexpected highlight, reminding us of our youthful spontaneity. We discovered talents hidden under years of professional seriousness. As Rumi wrote, “Don’t be satisfied with stories; unfold your own myth.”

That evening, the air was thick with laughter, nostalgia, and a shared understanding that success is not measured by designations or wealth, but by how easily one can still laugh with old friends.

Morning Reflections at Nandi Hills

The next morning, the sun rose gently over a symphony of chirping birds. We walked through the green paths, coffee in hand, exchanging snippets of our journeys. Someone spoke of patients, another of grandchildren, yet all of us shared a silent gratitude—for life, for friendship, and for the gift of togetherness.

The trip to Nandi Hills was symbolic. The climb mirrored our life’s journey—filled with twists, pauses, and breathtaking views. Though the monkeys made us cautious and the commute was longer than the visit itself, the joy lay not in the destination but the shared journey.

As the philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “It is not the length of life, but the depth of life.” The laughter echoing in that Tempo Traveller was proof that depth often comes wrapped in simplicity.

A Ramp Walk Through Diversity

Evening came another surprise—our Ramp Walk of States. Dressed in attire representing India’s glorious diversity, we paraded our pride across the floor. There were saris, turbans, kurtas, and smiles that transcended regional differences. The evening tea and photo session brought the feeling of a mini-India united by nostalgia and affection.

When a few classmates who had worked tirelessly to make such events possible were honoured, emotions swelled. In that moment, it wasn’t about who achieved what in life; it was about gratitude. One could sense the spirit of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam”—the world is one family.

Dancing into the Night

Then came the DJ night. The dance floor blurred age, status, and inhibition. Some of us hadn’t danced in decades—but that night, we did. Maybe it was the music, or maybe the realization that joy is the true elixir of youth. As Bollywood lyricist Gulzar wrote, “Jab hum bachche the, sapne dekhte the. Aaj bhi dekhte hain, bas farq itna hai ki tab so kar dekhte the, ab jaag kar.” (“When we were children, we dreamed; we still dream, only now with our eyes open.”)

The Bittersweet Goodbye

The final morning came too soon. Over breakfast, laughter mixed with the quiet ache of departure. Each hug said more than words ever could. We realized that reunions are not about reliving the past—they are about reclaiming lost pieces of ourselves.

When we parted ways, someone said, “We’ve not just added days to our life, but life to our days.” And indeed, we all left feeling lighter, younger, and deeply connected again.

The Deeper Lesson

Reunions like these are more than nostalgia—they are reminders to pause, reconnect, and rejoice. In a world obsessed with the next milestone, we rediscovered the power of being present.

From an Indian lens, it echoed the philosophy of the Bhagavad Gita—“Yogaḥ karmasu kauśalam”—that true wisdom lies in performing our actions joyfully and without attachment to outcomes. Internationally, it echoed Steve Jobs’ reminder that “You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backward.”

At the reunion, those dots connected beautifully—our shared struggles, laughter, late-night study sessions, heartbreaks, and triumphs formed a constellation of memories that illuminated our present.

Epilogue: The Gift of Togetherness

As I unpacked at home, my mind lingered on one simple truth: Friendship is the only investment that never depreciates. The Ruby Reunion was not a return to the past; it was a celebration of enduring human connection—a reminder that though years may wrinkle the skin, laughter and love keep the soul ageless.

Perhaps, in those 48 hours, we found what philosophers and poets have always searched for—a way to travel back in time without a time machine.

And maybe, that’s what true friendship is—a timeless sanctuary where the heart always feels at home.

“We didn’t meet to remember the past; we met to relive it, to remind ourselves that joy needs no reason, and that old friends are the mirrors in which we rediscover our younger selves.”

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Dr. Prahlada N.B
MBBS (JJMMC), MS (PGIMER, Chandigarh). 
MBA in Healthcare & Hospital Management (BITS, Pilani), 
Postgraduate Certificate in Technology Leadership and Innovation (MIT, USA)
Executive Programme in Strategic Management (IIM, Lucknow)
Senior Management Programme in Healthcare Management (IIM, Kozhikode)
Advanced Certificate in AI for Digital Health and Imaging Program (IISc, Bengaluru). 

Senior Professor and former Head, 
Department of ENT-Head & Neck Surgery, Skull Base Surgery, Cochlear Implant Surgery. 
Basaveshwara Medical College & Hospital, Chitradurga, Karnataka, India. 

My Vision: I don’t want to be a genius.  I want to be a person with a bundle of experience. 

My Mission: Help others achieve their life’s objectives in my presence or absence!

My Values:  Creating value for others. 

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