Across the big oceans...

"That there's some good in this world, Mr. Frodo... and it's worth fighting for" is what Sam Gamgee says in LOTR: The Two Towers. Maybe I can't compare because right now, the fate of mankind (or even hobbits) doesn't rest on my ability to carry a ring to the top of a mountain, but still life is bloody hard work, with "all the headaches and heartaches", but that is also what makes life interesting.
In life, you find things to fight for, things that you want and things that you can't live without. And it's these things that makes you cherish all the things that make you smile. We all go through different sorts of troubles and I know that it is those things that make you stronger. I know that I would be a very different person if I hadn't gone through what I have in life. And funny thing is, I don't think I regret anything that has happened. Yes, somethings still make me sad, but I don't think I would want to go back and change them.

Yes, I sound very cryptic and ambiguous up there... and I will take a simple example to explain the hard stuff; my friends who live in Maldives and the relationship I have with them.

Long distance friendship is bloody hard. It takes effort, timing, misunderstandings and late nights on both sides to keep in touch and maintain the friendships. It also means, that when one of your best friends is getting married, you may not be able to be there, "to make her laugh and to tease her". Or you can't celebrate your birthday with that friend who makes you laugh and has the same birthday as you, however much you want to hang out with him on that day. You have to deal with that, and it sucks so bad.
But however hard it is, I don't intend on giving up on this fabulous bunch of people. They've been the people who know me inside out, and remained friends even after the messiest of mistakes. They've thrown me surprise BBQ's and farewell parties, even though they see me only once a year or less. It has been made easier for me, because of my friends responsiveness despite the distance and also thanks to Facebook, MSN etc. And it may take sacrifices and compromises on my part (and theirs), to be a part of their life, but I know that that is something I want to do.

The point I am trying to make is, things that are worth a damn, may be (and probably will be) hard work. Taking the easy road down and walking away is not the answer. Take risks in love and life... and have a ball while doing it!!

This blog is dedicated to the Gang, Sabadi and everyone else in my life, who makes me smile (you know who you are) ...

PS: Just to acknowledge what my friends have said, everything in quotation marks are direct quotes by them.