Family, earthquakes and arranged marriages!

So, after I came home from the ER a few weeks ago after my kidney stone episode, I was in a blue funk. I think for a week all I wanted to do was cry because I realised that if I die in Ann Arbor, it would take my fiance at least a day to get to my body and my parents wouldn't be here at all! It's a morbid thought, maybe too morbid for a kidney stone but I felt really homesick for the first time in my life. It's weird; the older I get, the more I lean towards things that I was running away from only a decade ago. Overinvolved, nosy, Indian family! I couldn't wait to get away from them in 97 and now I can't wait till they finally move here.

Another reason for this rambling thought is the earthquake that hit Pakistan and India 2 days ago. My parents are currently in Jammu, which is only about 50-60 km away from where the epicentre was. My dad is actually going to Srinagar today and that's the hardest hit in India. My sister lives alone in Punjab without even a roommate. I saw them last in 1999 (dad and sis) and 2000 (mom). It's just really scary not knowing what's happening, knowing they're in an unstable environment (both geographically and politically), knowing I wouldn't be able to get to them fast if something were to happen and vice versa. It doesn't help that historically my parents have tried to hide all bad news from me till iti's inevitable that I'll find out from someplace else.

Note: I did talk to my parents yesterday and for now, all is good!

Note 2: My mom has assigned me the job of finding my sister a husband in the U.S. Does that seemw eird that they're letting me marry a white boy on my own terms but they're arranging my sister's marriage? I guess as long as she's ok with it, I'm ok with it. Plus, this way, I get to pick somebody who I'll make sure will geta long with me and Jeff as well :-)