A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR 2023
I wish all my colleagues in our MedicalBatch 62-67 and their spouses, all the best
for 2023.
I am very keen to keep alive our Blog which Lucky started, because as social beings, Friendship is of great importance to all of us. We must never forget the good times we had at such a crucial formative phase of our lives.
Just a few worthy quotes on Friendship for you to ponder:-
"True friendship comes when the silence between two people is comfortable." David Tyson Gentry.
"Friendship is
the hardest thing in the world to explain. It's not something you learn in
school. But if you haven't learned the meaning of friendship, you really
haven't learned anything." Muhammad Ali.
“The glory of friendship is not the outstretched hand, not the kindly
smile, nor the joy of companionship; it is the spiritual inspiration that comes
to one when you discover that someone else believes in you and is willing to
trust you with a friendship." Ralph Waldo Emerson.
"Growing apart doesn't change the fact that for a long time we grew
side by side; our roots will always be tangled. I'm glad for that." Ally
Condie
"Living, sharing, studying as one, Our friendship nothing could match" Zita Perera Subasinghe
To all my colleagues, I say, “Thank you very much and let us always be
friends, however far apart we are!”
Mahendra "Speedy" Gonsalkorale
Excellent quotes!
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for including one of Zita’s
Reading your comment cheered me up Sanath. So nice to see your input. Yes, Zita was a very special person, full of wisdom and love. Wish you all the best and may you keep contributing to Medical Education in particular and Sri Lanka in general.
DeleteMahen
ReplyDeleteThank you for the good wishes. All the best to you too. With the dwindling numbers and the vagaries of the passage of years it must be harder to maintain the blog.
The blog will always remain a place of friendship and an archive of good memories of times past. Reading of the past contributions will give you a spectrum of emotions from happiness, laughter and also immense sadness. Nevertheless it is well worthwhile looking back.
I wish the blog well in the journey ahead.
Thanks, Nihal. The blog would have died a long time ago if not for your regular, informative and interesting contributions, much valued by Lucky and myself.
DeleteMahen
ReplyDeleteThank you for those kind comments. It would be fair to say all of us did our bit to keep the Blog alive. Your music brought joy to us all. Zita and Rohini Ana’s poems helped us to reflect on our lives and those close friendships. The many incisive comments livened up the blog. Razaque’s naughty humour and Sumathy’s perceptive thoughts delighted the readers. Even the silent majority who read but never commented remained a part of our community.
It was good of you to have mentioned “Lucky Abey” in your New Year message. Although not a technocrat Lucky initiated the forum we affectionately call the batch Blog. As for the Blog he had a vision and a mission. “No politics” was one of his policies. Lucky and I have disagreed on some issues, but this never affected our close friendship of 60 years. It brings me great sadness that Lucky is not able to remain actively in touch with the Forum. He loves our batch and all it stands for. His home remains a place we can all gather for a meal and a chat.
Mahen has taken over from Lucky at a difficult time. The active participant numbers have dwindled. We are all knocking on the door to become octogenarians or just pass through. Free time to be a part of the Blog is directly proportional to good health. No one wants to twist the arm to publish or comment. The entire group will always remain an integral part of that great batch of 1962, until death do us part.
Let us not despair there is still some way to go. Will the last person to leave, turn out the lights.
Mahendra
ReplyDeleteWish you and your family a very happy New Year 2023
I appreciate the effort taken by you to keep our Blog alive. Please excuse me for not taking an active part as I was down in the depths of depression following my loss.
i am slowly recovering.This is life and we have to face it with courage.My children are a tower of strength.
I painted a greetings card and sent to the Blog as I felt I should do so, since I sent my painting of greetings cards the last two years.
I enjoyed sending my paintings as 130 of them have been published
I am thankful to Lucky for initiating our blog.
Wishing you all the best and I do hope you will have the energy to keep our blog alive. Long live our Blog !
Chira
Chira. it was so good of you to post this comment. I know what you are going through and I am so pleased to know how your wonderful children have been supporting you. All the best for 2023 my friend and when you are in a suitable mood, I shall always be happy to post more of your paintings.
DeleteMahendra
DeleteThank you
I had to post a comment as I felt I should to support your endeavours in keeping our Blog alive. Keep it up !
chira
FROM SURIYAKANTHIE
ReplyDeleteThank you for the lovely quotes and specially the one from our dearest Zita.
Thank you also for your New Year wishes and the tremendous effort and commitment you have been making in keeping our Blog alive.
A heart felt thanks to Lucky who ' s brainchild it is and who was inspired to create it.
If I may add my contribution....
Some say that a friend is one who shares
Both bright and gloomy days,
Someone who makes you happy
By their thoughtful friendly ways
Someone with whom you can discuss
The little things you've planned
Or just keep silent knowing that
They will understand
And I say yes ! A friend is all this And much more, I should know,
Because I've been blessed to have friends who've proved it so.
And there is more than wishes in this greeting that I send
To every dear Batch mate
I'm always glad and proud to call my friend.
I wish my dear Batch mates a Peaceful and Contented New Year , with Courage an Strength to face every Obstcale and Challenge we may meet
Suri, Thank you so much for your lovely comment including your beautiful poem. I like to thank you for your support and help. All the best.
DeleteDear Mahen, Thank you for this post and for the quotes about friendship, including the one from Zita. (We really miss her input, don't we?). I apologize for this late entry.
ReplyDeleteAs you know, I have been distracted and busy with visiting family and many other things, but it is still January and so it is not too late to wish everyone a Very Happy and Healthy New Year! This includes everyone who reads this blog, the contributors, both regular and sporadic, and especially you and Lucky.
Lucky started this many years ago - we wish him a steady recovery and a return to a more active role in the near future. Mahen, you keep stoking the fire to keep it going! Thank you for your dedication. It is such a lovely way to communicate with friends who shared a big part of our lives, during our transition from wild and crazy medical students to responsible physicians. (I will share more thoughts on that on Nihal's post!)