Reflection

As this year draws to an end, I reflect back on my many experiences in 2018. Despite all trials and tribulations, I overcame a few challenges because I had hope in my despair.

An old proverb in Hindi says: “Sonch me hain hamara samasya and sonch me hain hamara samadan”. I may have heard this a long time back, but only understood its true meaning when faced with the consequences.

When my mother was sick and hospitalized, a nurse at the hospital pointed at me and asked her, “Who is she?” My mother replied, “I don’t know. She must be our neighbor.” The poignant remark almost killed me. I had no idea about her disease or how it could be cured, I did not know whom to trust or which hospital to go and her health was deteriorating so fast that she failed to recognize her own child. Feeling despondent yet with a smile on my face I turned to her and said, “Amma, I’m your daughter, can you identify me?” She couldn’t.

We tried our best to give her the best of treatments, running from one doctor to another, from hospitals to physiotherapists. All we got in return were comments like “She is in critical stage”, “She may never be normal again” and “Let’s wait and see”. A thousand unanswered questions wondered in my head and it was then that I remembered the Hindi proverb. Yes, I will think of a solution. I will not abandon my mother in her darkest moment. I will not lose Hope.

It was then, like an angel from the heaven above, that Dr. P. Sharma Valli came to our lives. Like a miracle, Amma’s health started improving and within 15 days she herself asked me, “Why am I in the hospital? Why can’t we go home?”

As she got better, I put a question to myself: “Who was there with her in her despair? Was it her children, her siblings, her well-wishers? No, I don’t think any human can take the credit for her miraculous recovery except Amma herself. She faced all the pain, fought for life and returned to health. All we could do is give her hope.

I pray that in the coming year, I am able to treasure every day as a gift and learn from my experiences to make a better tomorrow. Wishing you all A Happy New Year!