thank you, you're welcome

What would it take for me to actually post something on this blog? I've been just as curious as anyone else.

It seems like one night in the hospital can make anyone a little bit more reflective. Can I start with one simple thought? I have heard many people speak of me in a kind of exceptional manner. "He is so strong," or "what peace of mind." These are nice things to hear, but I have to confess something very obvious. If you have received even a small fraction of the unbelievable love, ever-present support, or perhaps the wonderful company I have, there is nothing very remarkable about me or my response to this challenge of cancer.

...Where to start with my thank you list? I guess I'd like to start by thanking my sister Purvi for creating this blog without which I probably couldn't really reflect on or fully come to appreciate what has happened to me. More critically, each of my sisters (Palak, Sushma, and Purvi) have incommensurably redefined or at least outmeasured the idea of what a sister is. Each has been incomprehensibly adept at making any stress disappear, and all fear and pain fade away. And can I begin to thank my brother, Rahul? I have, but it is not at all simple. On second thought, I don't think continuing with my thank you list is such a good idea, mostly because I cannot just say thank you. I cannot abbreviate my appreciation for my family nor my friends who have consistently blurred any distinguishable line for our relationship--"friend" sounds so distant now adays.

Maybe this is enough for my first entry. Maybe not. I should at least (in)formally welcome those that have come to this site. You're all welcome to post or comment to this site as you see fit, though you're also welcome to just read it if that is all you wish to do. As many of you may know, I tend to overcommit to hobbies. Fortunately, my stay in the hospital and whatever time I take to recover will embolden me even more so. I don't know which of these things will occupy me more or less, but I will probably share some of my experiences on this site. It strikes me often that people have to wait till they are much older before they can "do what they want." I take this opportunity to start now what may have taken me decades to take up.

If I can make a request, I'd like to see the same from you. I know that something about this blog makes it seem like it should center on me, but I don't think that would be very interesting. Each of you is extremely talented and creative and it would please me a great deal to read and hear about whatever interesting things you are doing.

Regardless, though, I thank you for coming to this site and I thank you for making this time a chance for me to be a little more real to each of you and to myself.