When strangers become family

The call of work, we cannot ignore
it takes us far from our home land.
To different cities, states and countries
across strange new hills and desert sands.

We leave the family we grew up in,
our sisters, brothers, our parents;
And the other familiar faces too
our neighbours and our friends.

It feels strange in our new abode.
New faces, new names – it’s a blur.
We meet them here, we meet them there,
It doesn’t cause much of a stir.

Strangers all, in the initial days,
they become acquaintances and companions.
You exchange ‘hi’s and ‘hellos’s first,
gradually they turn into friends.

You message, you call, you visit each other,
you share a meal or two.
Somehow they become the go-to person
when you’re feeling a little blue.

Now, they are the ones who celebrate with you,
when happy times are near,
They are the ones who offer their shoulder
when you go through doubts and fear.

As the years roll by, slowly but surely
the dynamics change totally.
When and how, you never know
Those strangers have become family!

                                                                   ©Radhika Acharya