My Shy Friend Got a Girl

Hey Beyonder!

Something happened last week that made me realize - we're not kids anymore.

My friend Akash is getting married.

Let me tell you why this hit different.

The Story That Shocked Everyone

I was scrolling Instagram when I saw it. Akash. MY FRIEND Akash. Holding a girl's hand. Lifting her. Kissing her.

Now, you need to understand something about Akash. This guy is shy. Like, really shy. We met at 18 in the mechanical engineering block. Back then, you could barely spot him talking to other guys. A girl? Forget about it.

So when I saw those stories, I did what any confused friend would do. I called him immediately.

I was in Goa. Turns out, everyone from our class had the same reaction. Everyone called him.

And then he said it: "Bro, I'm gonna get married."

I froze.

I genuinely didn't know what to say. None of my classmates had ever said this sentence to me before. Especially not a guy. It took me a while to process it.

But it's happening.

The Decision I Made

Here's the thing. I had work. I had content to create. I knew traveling would take days. I knew the ROI on my time would be better if I stayed back and focused on business.

But I also knew this: I didn't want to miss this.

This is the first marriage in my gang. This is a moment I can never get back.

So I planned a visit to Rasipuram for the wedding.

Two Different Worlds in Two Weeks

You know what's fascinating? Life is showing me such different experiences right now.

One week, I'm hanging out with a billionaire.

The next week, I'm in the Kongu region. Villages. Agriculture. Small businesses.

My friend's house - everyone has a garden. Everyone is into farming. It's a completely different world out there.

Each region has its own kind of businesses. Its own way of living. And I'm just soaking it all in.

The Reunion We Didn't Plan

The wedding turned into a reunion.

All of us. The gang. Together again.

Back in college, we used to sit and play PUBG for hours. We'd talk trash. We barely respected each other (you know how guys are).

But here? Everyone was waiting for Akash. All of us lined up to take pictures with him. Treating him different. Special.

It felt weird. Good weird.

And here's something else. This is the first time I'm meeting most of them after building TownScholar. After becoming a creator. After everything changed.

They were really happy to see me. They appreciated my videos. Said nice things about my work.

I was happy to see them too.

But something felt different. Like we're all changing. Growing. Becoming different versions of ourselves.

What Growing Up Actually Looks Like

I think this is what growing up feels like.

It's not dramatic. It's not like the movies.

It's your shy friend suddenly getting married.

It's realizing you need to travel for things that matter, even when business calls.

It's meeting old friends and noticing how everyone has changed - including you.

Growing up sneaks up on you like that.

The Health Reality Check

Oh, and about that health streak I mentioned last week? Yeah, it took a hit.

I consumed a lot of sugar. I barely slept. The discipline went out the window.

But you know what? It's okay.

These experiences matter too. Sometimes life is about balance, not perfection.

On the bright side - before leaving for the wedding, I played badminton with my friends. And here's the win: I used to gasp for air after 30 minutes. Now? I can play for over an hour continuously.

Progress isn't linear. Some weeks you're on top of your game. Other weeks, you eat wedding food and forget what a gym looks like.

Both are okay.

The Bigger Picture

Standing at that wedding, watching Akash take this huge step, I realized something.

Life is changing. We're all on different paths now. Different speeds. Different destinations.

Some of us are getting married. Some are building businesses. Some are still figuring things out.

And that's exactly how it should be.

The best part? We can still show up for each other. Still be there for the big moments. Still be the gang that played PUBG together, even if we're all becoming different people.

What This Week Taught Me

Growing up doesn't mean losing who you were.

It means adding new layers to who you're becoming.

Akash is still shy. But now he's also getting married.

I'm still the guy who makes videos. But now I'm also someone who chooses friends over ROI.

We're all still figuring it out. Just at different paces.

If you've read this far, I have a question for you:

When did you first realize you were "growing up"? What moment made it click?

Hit reply and tell me. I'm genuinely curious about your story.

See you next Wednesday!

Cheers,
Epaphra

P.S. If you're in your 20s and feeling confused about life changing around you - you're not alone. We're all just making it up as we go. And that's perfectly fine.