When dreams become reality.

The very fact that these photographs were taken is proof that miracles exist!For it was by chance that months ago , Preeti clicked on the 'Next Blog' button and found herself reading my own Blog.you can read the full account by following the link here.So months later I find myself, Jan and my daughter Annie driving down the M1 to London and a big 5 star hotel where Preeti, Satish and their two children Atul and Purvi were staying. The hotel was beside the Tower Of London , we entered and looked around the lobby..then I heard "Niall!"...and there was the friend I'd been writing to all this time! We went up to Preeti's room , drank coffee and exchanged gifts. I'm now the proud owner of two lovely Kurta's (one of which I've worn all today).We later stood in the National Gallery staring at 'The Bathers ' by Georges Seurat and both agreed it was like a dream.

Just over a year ago, neither of us had even thought of blogging,and so it is even more amazing that yesterday, two families became united with a common love for friendship, humanity and a desire to understand the the things that made us alike and the things that make us different. If I'm honest, I find it hard to put into words the wonder of those moments..Jan kept saying to Preeti"you've come all the way from India!"..I felt like I was in a story book, I walked with a warm glow about myself...

Annie, Purvi and Atul at the hotel..any problems with language are unimportant to children..they just find a way and play! Annie and Purvi got on well drawing and colouring.(Satish was in London on business attending a conference, so was not able to join us until evening.)

We walked up the Thames embankment, (I don't go to London often but found myself being a tourist). Here's my cliche photograph of 'Big Ben' as it's popularly called (the name actually refers to the bell inside)We went into the National Gallery especially to see the Seurat paintings..but also the Van Gogh (Sunflowers)..Renoir and Monet amongst others.I was especially surprised to see 'Le Bec Du Hoc,Grandchamp' there too!!(See previous post) here's Jan in the gallery cafe (Annie in the red coat with her back to us).

Preeti and I are standing across the river from the London Eye. At first I was a little bit in awe of the circumstances. Don't you often feel that your Blogging friends are just (often) so far away in different countries, it's almost as if they're not real? The actual shock of hearing a voice on the telephone and even more so meeting in the flesh is something so mindbogglingly amazing !!

I could write for ever about how good it was to meet Preeti, Satish, Atul and Purvi.To describe them as the most lovingly genuine and selfless individuals might sound a little excessive..but believe me it's not..they are all that and more! I at once felt a kinship and familiarity of sorts. My wife often tells me about her best friend Kay to whom she writes often discussing deep things..but when they meet, it is often the case that they don't talk about much at all..to an outsider it would possibly seem a bit odd, but when you are joined by the word and the mind, it is enough to sometimes meet and just 'be'. And that is how I felt..despite the thousands of miles that separated us and having never met before...I felt at ease..I felt a bond with my lovely friends.

How soon it was all over..we all parted outside the tube station with the affirmation of a desire for us to travel to India some day and experience God's Own Country (Kerala). 118 miles back up the motorway in Derby..I sat tired but with a big grin on my face every time I thought about the whole circumstance of our meeting...........I'm still smiling!and I've memories to last for ever!

Now there are a couple of other bloggers I'd love to meet..God willing, our paths will cross someday!