For a friend!

Some people walk into your lives and manage to make a place that no one else can fill, if they leave. I am always lucky to meet people who teach me the biggest philosophies thru their life. This piece is dedicated to one such person. A person who lived in the shadow of death for almost a decade and yet managed to live a life fuller than many others.

Her dad's death was probably a big blow and what seemed to be headaches owing to the sadness was later diagnosed as brain tumor. The innumerable treatments saved her life but not without taking away her vision. Saved from death to never see the world again! Was it worth it? Well, each one of us may have doubts but not she. She lived on to complete her graduation and post graduation and it was here that I met her. All my doubts about 'Is this life worth living' were laid to rest then and there. This beautiful, fair, waist length haired girl taught me never ever to take the 'routine' things of life for granted. It took much more than dedication and hard work to record lectures, listen to them and then give her examinations thru a writer. How many of us have cried when our portable cassette player didn't work? She would almost skip a few beats if hers didn't, because for her it was not a means of entertainment. It was her biggest ally. One who would fulfill her dream of being a post graduate! "Just because I cannot see does not mean I will make candles, I will at least try and see if I can write code"- the words are clearly etched in my memory. Those were the words of a delicate looking but feisty girl out to challenge destiny. She inspired many on her way. Our department head fought with the university to let her write exams with normal (really?) people. Yeah, she finally achieved her dream from on the most reputed colleges in the city.

Just when you thought that things were turning out to be ok, her tumor relapsed and she had been bed ridden since. A few days back when I had called up, her voice was not audible on the phone because of her weak state, but deep down I felt that she would come back just like she always did. We would then again pull her leg about growing fat. But she didn't!

She taught me to see the beauty in routine and feel blessed about it. She lived her life to the fullest and taught me what that phrase really meant. I am sure she would inspire many others en route to the other world.

Rest in Peace Yogini!