Life is a bitch!

Today was not a very great day for me. I met a childhood friend of mine. We studied together from class LKG to 5^th and since we live in the same locality we have always been in touch with each other. I met her today. I saw that she looked thinner than usual and was tying a scarf around her head. We exchanged pleasantries and she asked me about my life. As usual, I ranted about the petty things like me not losing weight and my diet not working. We both work in the same company and so I asked her about work and she said she did not go to work for 3 months. I asked her why and she said that she has cancer, like she has fever or cold. It took some time for it to settle in my head. There was awkward silence between the 2 of us and I laughed like an idiot after a while and asked her if she was joking. She kept a serious face, said no and smiled. I saw stitch marks near her throat. She said she is affected by stage 2 lymphoma (I researched what this is and wiki said that it is cancer that affects the lymph nodes. I read a lot about it today and understood that this one is not really very easily curable). Honestly, when she said that I really couldn’t control my tears. I cried like an idiot which I shouldn’t have but I just couldn’t help it. She did not deserve this. Nobody deserves it! We are of the same age. She married the love of her life, has a beautiful kid. She used to be a topper in studies and has a very successful career.

She told me that it is not easy. The chemotherapy, the radiation and steroids everytime she takes steroids it feels like her whole body burns. I think she definitely deserves better. She deserves a normal life like me and everyone else of our age in this planet. I know life is not really fair and sufferings are a part of it. But when things like this happen it makes me question the existence of God. Death and sufferings of someone change the way you see life. Petty things won’t matter anymore. When I lost someone very close to me it made me think we live to end up like this. When tomorrow is not certain we plan for 10 years, we constantly rant about the things that we don’t have than appreciate what we have. We don’t want to let go of the people who wants to leave us but treat the ones who love us like they do not exist. We complicate life. We are unhappy and dissatisfied about almost everything in life. But do we realize that life can change in a jiffy? Bad things can happen to us like how good things happen to us. I wish we learn to see things differently. Like, when everything seems to go wrong in a day be happy that it has ended and expect a better day tomorrow, when we have a lengthy queue at the cafeteria, patiently wait to get your turn instead of getting annoyed about it. You are anyway going to eat your food there are thousands of people who might not eat lunch not out choice but simply because they cannot afford it. I don’t mean to sound like Mother Teresa or ask you to be one. But the simple things that we rant about end but there are people who battle cancer and diseases dreadful than cancer, like my friend. People have diseases that they forget a part of their life. People who know their organs might fail sooner and want to make the best of their life when they still can. My friend is still smiling gleefully. She’s embraced the fact that she’s got cancer and is fighting it for her kid. She told me that she wants to live if not for her, for her kid. When she first greeted me it was the way she always does. She’s lost almost all her hair but I complain about frizz, curls and trust me I felt so ashamed of myself!

Let’s appreciate the fact that we are breathing normally today without support, that our organs have not failed us. Please give importance to your stomach and the digestive system not your tongue. Put your mobiles aside for a while and give some time of your life, for yourself, your fitness. I always say that I am OK if don’t have money and wealth but I want a good health because if I am healthy I can earn even when I am 60 years old. I don’t want to lecture much. I just want to give a message that life is a bitch, God works in the most mysterious ways and so nothing is in your control although you think everything is. You are a mere actor and so give your best performance while you still can. Make the best of your life. I don’t mean to sound pessimistic but anything can happen to you the next moment so spend your time wisely and happily J

May God bless all of us! May he help my friend and give her the strength to swim through this difficult phase of her life.  Please include her in your prayers.