I love you always!

I must confess that I was not supposed to read that particular email. It was a sheer accident. I was in a studio of the Vatican Radio along with some of my companions. Someone was explaining to us different techniques of the radio. At one point my eyes fixed on a computer. Someone must have opened email and forgot to signout. The bolded letters short message reads “ ti voglio sempre bene anche con la tosse.” The English translation would be, I always love you even with your cough. This message clicked me. I looked again. And again!

Many a times I have heard and read that there should be unconditional love in our relationship with others. Ever since I joined with the JESUITS I always made a point to have some good friends. As the saying goes, a boy needs G friends (means good friends) and a girl needs B friends (means best friends). My long years of formation in the different places provided me with an ample opportunity to come to know and meet different people, hailing from different countries and various cultures. I was always fortunate enough to have found some good friends.

Though, I have regular contacts with my family now, but it was not always the same. There were times when once in a while I used to have communication with my family. I would not visit them years after years. I did miss my family. There were times I felt like going back to them. Those crucial moments the presence of my friends have helped me to overcome my loneliness.

Sometimes I do think why I like certain people! Why I like to spend time with certain people! Or why did so and so become my friends! I may have spent years after years with certain people; but I could not call them my friends. The people who have accepted me ‘as I am’ became my friends. They never demanded me to change my life, though some of them have helped me to change myself.

This short message reminded me those wonderful people. I do have contact with some of them and some of them have gone away with the history. I know for sure that with some of them I will never meet in person. Yes I do miss them. Their memories give me joy. I remember them when I am sad and I feel alone. I do very well remember a letter of one of my friends when I was leaving Calcutta. She wrote,

“Remember me when you are sad. There will be people around you in your happy moments. But when no one is around you, be sure that my presence is with you.”

 How beautiful and meaningful! Yes, I remember you all. I am blessed to have you all both past and present. Today I want to let you all know that,

I remember you all. Often I may not have said how much I love you or how important you are all in my life! But today I want to tell you all that ‘I love you all, and always love you!’