A few years back one of my friends lost her mom. As we went to her house my friend repeatedly said 'My mom looked like Goddess Lakshmi, but see how she looks like now.' I looked at the lifeless body..there was nothing so attractive on her face to be 'good looking'. Rather I thought that she could never look like Goddess Lakshmi.
Perhaps my friend knew that her words were not enough to convince us. She went inside and brought a photograph of her Mom and with a loud cry, she handed it over to us. We passed it among us and when it came to my hand, I swallowed my shock. My friend was right. She looked like a Goddess. With her long hair and beautiful face, she looked stunning. I looked again to the lifeless body..the face was swollen and disfigured...there wasn't any hair on her head..As I stood in total disbelief, I had to accept the effect of cancer on a human being. No..I don't want to go to any detail of that sight as I can't even imagine the pain and agony caused when a human being suffers to the extend of losing everything that 'used to be' his or hers. There I saw the cruel face of cancer that disfigures a human face.
Last week I saw another lifeless body of another friend's mom. I heard my friend say how hard working and sacrificing her mom was and how she used to cook for everyone and took care of her children and grand children. Also that she was a great cook and how she used to bake cakes and that this was the only Christmas with no cakes.
I looked at the frail body wrapped in a silk sari. She was just 75, not the age to wither away into a thin being. I heard it again. She had cancer in the spine. Thank God she didn't lose her hair as she didn't undergo the procedure called chemotherapy. I felt so sad for her; a Mom who lived for her family, serving them happily till the end.
The best that I heard that day was this. Two of her children stay abroad. My friend asked her if she would like to see them, she answered after a pause 'No, I will see them in Heaven'
Too much pain for a losing battle!!
Perhaps my friend knew that her words were not enough to convince us. She went inside and brought a photograph of her Mom and with a loud cry, she handed it over to us. We passed it among us and when it came to my hand, I swallowed my shock. My friend was right. She looked like a Goddess. With her long hair and beautiful face, she looked stunning. I looked again to the lifeless body..the face was swollen and disfigured...there wasn't any hair on her head..As I stood in total disbelief, I had to accept the effect of cancer on a human being. No..I don't want to go to any detail of that sight as I can't even imagine the pain and agony caused when a human being suffers to the extend of losing everything that 'used to be' his or hers. There I saw the cruel face of cancer that disfigures a human face.
Last week I saw another lifeless body of another friend's mom. I heard my friend say how hard working and sacrificing her mom was and how she used to cook for everyone and took care of her children and grand children. Also that she was a great cook and how she used to bake cakes and that this was the only Christmas with no cakes.
I looked at the frail body wrapped in a silk sari. She was just 75, not the age to wither away into a thin being. I heard it again. She had cancer in the spine. Thank God she didn't lose her hair as she didn't undergo the procedure called chemotherapy. I felt so sad for her; a Mom who lived for her family, serving them happily till the end.
The best that I heard that day was this. Two of her children stay abroad. My friend asked her if she would like to see them, she answered after a pause 'No, I will see them in Heaven'
Too much pain for a losing battle!!
Cancer is terrible. I have seen quite many victims too.
ReplyDeleteTrue..it's terrible
DeletePoignant and profound!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Amit
Delete