Viji’s Diary

Nobody asked me to tell my story, but I desperately want to say a few things. All of you who know me know how difficult it is to shut me up when I begin talking and yes, writing also, so maybe that is why nobody asked me…But indeed it was me who asked everyone to write their “story”. Isn’t it strange, calling real life, excruciatingly real and alive, a story? I am surprised not one of you turned around and said, “What do you mean, ‘our STORY’? We are having real life experiences here, not some fairy tales or ”ghar ghar ki kahaniya…“ Instead, each one of you just put down your lives on paper and gave them to me just like that. For this alone, a very big Thank You!!! Some of you thought it an honour, some were happy to share. Others wanted to share after learning from others…that it is indeed possible to talk about yourselves and Rajeev wrote only because I threatened never to hug him again Hey Rajeev, caught you there but you know I would have never carried out that threat!!!My favourite writer P.G. Wodehouse once said “There are two ways of writing, (one is…) a sort of musical comedy without music and ignoring real life altogether; the other is going deep down into life and not caring a damn.” My friends of Max here have chosen the latter and definitely not given a damn, but I can hear the music in their stories and the magic of pure laughter in these outpourings. These are not stories but songs set to the purest of melodies, taking me on the wings of Love and Laughter, to a place where there is only hope and happiness and lessons in, yes, Love. Unconditional and uncomplicated Love. Seriously, it is all about love and learning, and both are timeless and endless. One can never love enough, one can never learn enough. So you keep on loving and keep on learning and take everyone you meet on this voyage with you. This is what the last five years with all of you has meant to me. So much of love and so much of learning.I have been allowed to witness the trauma of families who have been sucked, helpless and floundering, into the vortex of a life-threatening disease, and I have then seen them rally around and with the twin weapons of love and faith emerge strong and secure in their love for each other. In the end love is all that matters; all you need is love.I would like to share with all of you a couple of “stories“ from my diary…read on.