You have to fight through some bad days to earn the best days of your life... ;)

Today we as few friends of Wen Hui, went to give a surprise lunch. One of the friend Szu made sure that she reached out to all Wen Hui's friends to make this a success.
The reason to meet and greet was to honor our friend Wen Hui, for the fight that she started a year long with Cancer.
Yes, I had mentioned about her courage and willpower with which she actually did a project manager's role to make sure the hospital doctors and staff are on their toes to work towards getting Wen Hui's cancer out of her system.

I feel so proud to share this success story of my friend, who not only went through a tough time but she faced it very profoundly and gave a tough challenge to the disease 'Cancer'.
We all know that one day we will go from this world to another one which we call as death, yet where we are now, we should live happily to the fullest where you should feel at the end that you did challenge the one that gave you tough time whether its the situation or the time in life that made you think and let decide you as how you want to handle this situation.

My friend did had a tough fight with cancer and after 8 chemo-therapy she came out successfully. Few pains and side effects of the medicine is there but the best is that after all this she was focussed and determined as what she want out of this. A person who was so dedicated on the work front and made sure the entire show is running well even when she was in hospital, had a different outlook altogether and what I liked about today was that the journey that Wen Hui went through made her realize certain things in life and her thoughts across life is different.

Like a typical project manager she came out with couple of things pointing out in fingers as what she would like to do now, one to be a nurse - she realized what a tough job it is do deal with not only patients and the disease that each individual is going through but also they have to deal with each individual too. Its totally different as how each individual reacts to their sickness, medicines and the staff. Wen Hui, when she was managing these nurses and staff members in benefit to her situation - she realized that there has to be set of strategy with which things needs to be handled, specially when it deals with one's life. I loved the thought process she went into and the outcome of it is to give that care and love to the ones who need it irrespective of whether you know them or not but its a service to the humanity.

My best wishes and all support that I can possibly give to my dear friend in achieving her new dreams

Friends, all I want to tell you is nothing is impossible in life. Its we who give up and then life takes its own turn. As long as you have control over things, you will see it goes as per your plan but the moment your willpower is weak someone else takes over and takes the control over you and your life.
Be that fighter and challenge your situation to turn to your favor, at least that effort and try can give some hope if not a true success story. I wanted to share this today's story with you all so that you should know its you who can bring hope for yourself and its you who can challenge and turn around the tables in difficult times too.

"We have two options, medically and emotionally: Give up or fight like hell ~ Lance Armstrong"

~ Dawn

“I am a part of all that I have met.” ;)

Onam!?!

It used to be Onam when I was a kid. Yes, many such stories you get to read or hear today. But the fact is that our parents tried to induce those elements in us by celebrating it the way it was celebrated in their native land.

I grew up in Pune, Maharashtra yet my parents celebrated Onam like a true Malayalee. I remember it used to be a school day but my parents would take a day off and mom will prepare all the vegetable items along with 3-4 different types of curries. Since this festival is celebrated for the reason of King Mahabali and how he took care of his people, dad used to tell the story and the reasoning behind celebrating Onam. Dad also used to tell about the feast consisting of 56 vegetarian dishes and besides that the dessert payasams will be of 6-7 varieties. My dad used to tell us his growing up stories and Onam celebration was one of the scenes which would make us imagine how it would have been for them. 

However, being in a place where both parents were working and we never not having a holiday in school for Onam, still parents made sure we enjoy that one day just like as if we were transported to Kerala. A festival which is celebrated for 6 or 10 days now I hear and schools used to be closed for Onam Holidays those times in Kerala.

Dad's speciality was to make adaprathaman payasam and I know it used to be the most sweetest payasam as he used to put lots and lots of jaggery. 

Me and my brother we used to have a half-day from school and teachers used to respect that part and would allow us to go home early.

Parents used to invite non-keralite friends home to have sadya at our place and we used to call our non-malayalee friends at home too. The basic differentiation was because every malayalee will be having a Onasadya at their place and it doesn't make any sense to invite them home when they already have their own onasadya.

Once we come home we used to get into our onakodi - the new clothes and I remember my long thick dark hair was an attraction to everyone and my mom used to make sure I neatly do my hair just like a malayalee girl would do - the long hair pinned from two sides and put a band at the end so the hair is loosely tied. It did gave a different look to the personality and I enjoyed it too.

One thing I figured out that I was more a malayalee when I was in Maharashtra or being with Maharashtrians than being with a malayalee. Though growing up with malayalee parents yet in Pune did bring the mallu in us. But today we are in America and I feel we dont do anything for any such special occasions - it's a event that people will dress up to show that its Onam but the core element of celebration has lost somewhere.

What it could be? No, I am not analyzing about it but yes, these have become sweet memories and I am cherishing those moments today far away from home. 

These days it's more or less is it Onam? oh Happy Onam :) 

"We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be." ~ Kurt Vonnegut, Mother Night

~ Dawn