Love of family.

This is my blog post No. 1000. When I began blogging I never thought I would write so much but it has happened and I am glad about it. This achievement gives me immense satisfaction.  Writing this particular blog post made me think a lot. As I began coming close to this milestone I thought a great deal on what subject to write. This happened earlier too as I reached milestone posts -100, 200 and…900. And on such occasions it was mostly connected to my blogging…about the Typewriter on which I learnt typing which skill has helped me in easily posting my articles and on another occasion about the Cameras that have captured thousands of photographs that I have posted to my blog. And on this occasion I thought of many topics but ultimately narrowed down to the subject of ‘Love of family’, not just love of family but extended family.

I wish everyone to have a happy family, strong family ties and great many happy times. My blog consists of many articles about our family and extended family celebrations - festivals, childbirths, birthdays, anniversaries, celebration of successes and achievements, picnics, family pilgrimages, weddings, frequent feasting and partying, Valentine’s Day, Christmas and New Year Celebrations and also of our family coming together at times not so good. This happens in most families and so it must be.

When I wrote about all this in my blog it was only to share our happiness with friends, family members and those who missed the event and record it in my journal (that is my blog). I also hoped that some of my readers who for some reason have totally or partially neglected the extended family would be inspired to spread happiness amongst them.  There is nothing like seeing a large family get-together with smiles on everyone’s face. You will find over a thousand smiles in my blog. Looking at them, great memories are rekindled and that makes me happy.

The most important reason for our families being close and sharing happiness frequently is that we are all residing in the same city, Hyderabad. My father and his siblings, my aunts and uncles were all in Hyderabad except for brief careers a little away from the City. And when it comes to me and my siblings we have all been in Hyderabad. My wife and her siblings are here. All our children are here except for my younger son and a nephew (with his family) who are abroad in UK and New Zealand as their careers have taken them there. We miss them and they miss us. But at every opportunity we are all coming together at Hyderabad.

We are fortunate to have a caring and loving extended family in the past and now and fortunate that these family traditions and values are being followed by our children. May God bless us this - family love and affection forever. And may every family, at least most families in the world be happy as in the past with no misunderstandings, jealousies and difficulties.

It makes me sad to hear of bad relations in families, sons and daughters neglecting sickly and aged parents, problems between siblings, about frequent quarrels amongst wives and husbands and about divorces and in the worst scenario sons and daughters deserting their families to become terrorists and cause harm and death to families living in peace. Such situations were unheard of or rare some years ago but have become common these days. In today’s world there might be strong reasons for such disturbing situations but it would be wonderful if amicable solutions are found and life moves on happily for everyone. I believe that with patience and wisdom solutions can be found if we value and respect the concept of happiness and a happy family.