Dibah & Aly

Marine has been my class mate, my tango partner, my travel companion, my flatmate and now my bridesmaid. I can say that not many people know me like she does. Once someone has seen you daily at school, then daily at home and still loves you, you gotta feel blessed. I met Marine when I was 14 years old. We were both new to the school we were attending and we were living 10 minutes walk from each other. I told her for many years that she is the hottest of all my friends. She blushes and thinks I am joking but I'm totally not. Wait till you meet her! Countless times, Marine has given me the inspiration to make bold moves, take a risk, and fight for what I believe. She's braver and more courageous than most I know so for those who wonder where I get my confidence from, I owe a lot of it to her. She showed me when I was very young that there are many ways to think and do things and I believe she truly helped me become a more open-minded and tolerant person. She helped me become a better person.

Can you see how in the photo, she looks sweet, right? Like yourselves, I had to imagine what Irum was like before I met her. That's because I heard about her for years before actually meeting. We were both living in Richmond, working as doctors, had friends in common and went to the same khane, so I kept hearing her name but life took its time to bring us together. Once it did, it was friendship at first sight. Meeting Irum was a bit of a magical affair. Her love for her brother reminded me of my closeness with my siblings, her professional ambition reminded me of my own drive, her compassion and dedication for others reminded of values that I always held dear. I felt drawn to her as someone I loved being around, and could speak with for hours on end. I soon realised that I fell for her because I admired her and wanted to be like her in so many ways. Children often have role models. I am lucky that I found one much later in my life.

The week of our wedding also marks ten years (to the week) from when Julian and I first met. I was starting a new job at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto and Julian was my senior, responsible mentor. During one of our first tasks of the day however, I ended up having to give my account for a freak hospital safety incident. While training me, Julian had accidentally sprayed alcohol hand sanitizer in his eye. It always makes me think of that freak gasoline fight incident of 2001. It didn’t take much time for us to learn how similar we were, from our taste in movies, music and food to our ethics and morals. He has become a twin brother of mine whom I respect and cherish.

Andres and I have been through almost half of our lives together as friends. Most of our friendship has been across provinces or oceans and our communications have been broken up by days or months but when we get together it feels as though no time has passed. We can pick up a game of COD and pick up at the same level as 5 years ago or spend nights out at the same wings restaurant as we did in high school and have an amazing time. I am glad to know that having Dre in my future will mean we will always try--and fail--impossible missions and carry on traditions, now each with our life partners.

My time in London (and Barcelona) would not have been what it has been without Shehzad. During this time Shez and I have had some of the most fun I’ve had, we’ve had some of the most serious conversations and we’ve created some of the best memories. Shez and I have found similarities in many parts of our lives including whom we have chosen to keep closest to us. No matter how long or short our times are in the same city, we have found a way to meet up every single time and I know that even though we live continents apart we’ll be continuing to make countless memories together in the future!