Friday -Feb 7th, 2020 I was invited for a lunch at one of my friend and colleague from work. A little background about this friend.
A very ambitious, young dynamic woman who is fearless when it comes to talk about technology and product enhancements. I have had a couple of tiff with her when I joined the company but one thing you should understand and that is when two people are talking about improving things whether its process, software development or its methodology it can begin with a tiff until you understand each other and I think that is what happened where she accepted my idea and we together worked as a team.
This friend of mine was diagnosed recently with cancer in multiple organs while she was visiting India to visit her Mom who is suffering from cancer. Yes, how common this word has become in our daily life that it also scares the hell out of all of us.
Knowing this friend I always tell her to kick ass as I know she is strong but its always easy for us to tell sitting at this side of the fence.
The first time I went and saw her in her house that was after her first chemo. She was doing good other than her deep breaths in between our talk she was doing good. We had our chats and jokes from work and then holidays came and I went for my vacation trip to India. Before leaving I had wished her and said will see her in new year. I am a believer and I always feel if our will power is strong nothing can stop us from what we want. I always tell this to her too.
"Ones you become fearless, life becomes limitless".
After I came back from my vacation I sent her messages but there was no response. Anyhow, I thought she might be in her chemo or the initial days of chemo because thats when they are more tired and under the impact of that strong medicine which also has side effects even though it might be killing the cancer cells.
Finally that day came when I was invited for a Friday lunch. It was an auspicious day from a Hindu calendar perspective as well I believe because I heard there is a puja (prayer) at her place. I went to her place with some oranges from my garden. We were few ladies from work who were invited. We knocked the door and what I saw was a well decked woman in 9 yard saree, her confidence had no less spark than what she had earlier except her hair everything was oozing with life.
Our friend invited us inside and she started doing things in the kitchen as if everything is normal. She also expected us not be there like a guest but get in the kitchen and help her with making the lamp for the puja with flour mixed with ginger, and ghee. Once it was done she asked us to be in the puja room that she has in the house. A small room enough for four people to sit and perform the puja.
The puja started with chanting Vishnu sahasranamam (chanting 1000 names of lord Vishnu) though none of us remember other than her so we took the help of internet and good the pdf on the phone and started chanting. As she was performing the puja, my mind went back to my childhood days where I had witnessed and been part of these and look today it was all new to me!
Faith, is something which differs from people to people based on where they find their strength in ~ Dawn.
"Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase" ~ Martin Luther King
After the puja we all went to the dinning table and started helping setting the table with plates. Everything was cooked from scratch and nothing we did as she had done it all. Like any Indian host she was serving us and we were telling her to sit down and we can help ourselves. She said, I am fully energetic and doctor has asked me to be rough with my leg as the chemo has its own side effects and she was on the roll.
After listening that, I felt she know what she is doing because otherwise she would be more cautious. This is after her 4th chemo and waiting for two more!!!
Each grain of food as I ate was thanking her and her effort to get back. She looked like one of those Tamil woman who just came back from the pilgrimage (Tirupati) where she might have given her entire hair as an offering to God. She was as graceful as she was before having cancer.
After having a long chat with lots of laughter we had the evening tea and left wishing her all the luck for two remaining chemo and looking forward to see her joining back in April, 2020.
The amount of time we spent and the laughter we had, no one wanted to leave neither the friend was ready to say bye!!! Thought we left with the plan to meet her often on Friday's when she is out of her chemo effects. We got out with a little goody bag with the offerings that was given to the God during the prayers and a little gift.
Through out my return to work and then back to home and my weekend was with full of thoughts for her and the look forward for her come back!!!!
I have faith in her!
"Let everything happen to you,
Beauty and Terror,
Just keep going
No feeling is final" ~ Rainer Maria Rilke
You can make anything happen in your favor if you will is powerful!!! Face everything and rise - thats FEAR!!!!
~ Dawn
