Family

May 4th 2008 seems a long way away now - maybe a different century? But there we are - both sets of parents with and the kids (and Victor and Sarah's daughter Joanna to boot) on the terrace of Shanti Kunj in Mussoorie.

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We are amazingly blessed with two sets of parents who pray for us every day - and that too many times. Who have sacrificed much for us. Somehow the conversation with Asha and Enoch turned to how we could pay back our parents for all they did for us - the fact is - we can't. Never. Perhaps the only step forward to this is to be the best parents we can to our kids. Love is not rent.

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Our heart aches to be away from our loved ones so long. Right now we have a total diaspora going on:

(1) Mum and Dad in Mussoorie,

(2) Amma and Appa just outside Vishakapatnam,

(3) Victor, Sarah and Joanna in Delhi,

(4) Stefan, Neeru and Ashish in Delhi (its Ashish's 2nd birthday anniversary today!),

(5) Premi in the UK - but due to arrive in India first week of July,

(6) Peter, Yashmeet and Anmol in Kenya,

(7) Ramesh, Daisy and Frankie in the US

(8) Rudy, Aneng, Kimi, Timmy and Renata in the US (but spread out from Hawaii to Virginia)

(9) and of course so many others who are part of the extended Shanti Kunj family....

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How to get everyone together? What a paradox to have so many we love so far away. Its part of the existential sorrow we have - but one that we must work through - and which perhaps helps us to cherish the opportunities that we do have to meet up all the more.

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Our aches point us in the right direction though - we are not meant to be alone - apart. If we did not ache something would be wrong. We look foward to a time when we will all be together. Its not a pie in the sky thought either, but a reality worth living towards.