Hyderabad and Back

Whew! Whatta week!

I am POOPED.

But in spite of the cough, fever and cold, I am deliriously happy. The trip was awesome. Starting from the time I stood in a never ending queue to buy a general ticket and fought tooth and nail with people who tried to squeeze in front by ‘cheating’ (*snort*) to the time I traveled by general ticket again six days later and arrived 8 hours late, the trip was everything I could have asked for.

Imagine a number as huge as 2-3 lakhs (perhaps more on the last day) singing and clapping and shouting deliriously! Even without passes, P managed to turn on his charm and used his connections in high places;-) to get us seats right at the front. So we didn’t have to squat on the muddy grass and have the dust fly up in our faces. But even without that, I managed to have got myself a bad case of dust allergy. Oh well. Every good time comes with a price, I guess. Just depends on whether the price was worth paying and it certainly was!

I came VERRRRRRRRRRRRRRY close to having a major crush on the lead singer, Martin Smith, but decided not to when I realised that he was married and even has 5 kids :-But he certainly knows how to flash his smile at the camera. Pinky and I had a foolish smile each time he did that, much to T’s (Pinky’s hubby) amusement. But I know he was miffed at some level cos at one point he told Pinky, “Go ask Martin Smith.” :p

Feel like doing a “Thank You” list again…but there are too many things to list here…

But above all, I am thankful for good friends. P and O, T and P, S and M--I know you don’t know the existence of this blog….but let me tell you, how thankful I am and how warmed by everything that you’ve all offered.

I thought I’d never work hard anymore to preserve friendships 'cos anyways everybody always only wanted things from you...and eventually, when they received everything you had to offer, they just upped and left...but I’ve changed that opinion now. This trip has made me appreciate fully the true meaning of “fellowship.”

I thought of treating them all to a fantabulous dinner or something but that was my mind speaking. No sooner did the idea come up than the still small voice in me said, “Nothing can repay them.”

And I knew that here were people who didn’t count what they gave…they didn’t expect anything in return, they just cherished me for who I was and all they wanted was my company…my self in return. And I had to humbly accept that…humbly accept that what people give from their heart….money cannot repay.

So what does one do with the innumerable kindnesses received?

Pass it on…it’s as simple as that.

The days have been so packed that my ‘quiet times’ have suffered terribly. But God’s still been speaking to me…the people I’ve met, little incidents that happened…through all of it, I’ve realized that God’s been trying to get my attention…trying to get me to expand my horizons…reassess myself, my priorities, my beliefs.

And I realized all of a sudden how precariously close I have been and perhaps still am to relegating God to a mere concept than an actual Person. I think at all points of my faith walk….that’s gonna be the toughest fight…mind versus a heart response. I need to just cling closer. A branch can’t really be a branch unless it is drawing from and into the plant itself…

P.S : Grr, Jew, Vee, Pings and Tim, Olive Oyl and Pal-sing, Joy, So and Dee, Sush and Sands...thank you for loving me at my worst and being with me not just through the ups, but also during the downs. I am blessed. I will try to work us out forever.