The wife of a senior colleague has passed away yesterday, after a long battle with cancer, and we visit their house to pay our last respects. She lies on the floor in the hall, surrounded by her family. Her husband stands silently, acknowledging our greetings. Her daughter sits by her side. She is touching her mother’s face gently and the movement of her fingers and the look on her face reminds me of how a mother would touch her sleeping child. Her young son, her mother, her brother – the room is filled with the sorrow of the people who love her.
I look at the still body, at the face that is so peaceful. Too young, too young to die. I reflect on how her daughter forced herself to write an exam today, about how the young son will have to perform the last rites of his mother. From where do they find the courage? And then I remember their mothers last few months – battling the disease and the disfigurement and the pain – cooking for the family, trying to keep going –I think I know where the courage comes from, and I try to tell myself that some things don’t die.
5 comments:
Poignant!!..Thats why i guess they say Love is Eternal!!
A very close family friend lost his wife to cancer, just 5 weeks after it was first discovered! She was mother to a six-year-old son. It was heartbreaking to see father and son leading a lonely life, and how much life can change in just a month's time!
Then three years later, he met and married this divorcee. She had left behind an abusive marriage and was equally grateful for a second chance. She and her 10-year-old daughter now complete this family of four, with a new arrival expected later this year.
If anything, they reaffirm my faith in that supernatural power out there keeping a watch over all of us.
After seeing many deaths both personally and professionally I've come to the conclusion that the pain and sorrow never abates.People only get used to the absence of their loved ones.
When a wife passes away the husband feels miserable.Women are stronger and they take everything in their stride and move as they should.That is why I respect women.
Children find it very difficult and I've seen cases where the lives of the children ruined following the death of a parent.Many fare well as time heals any wound,physical or psychological.
My heart goes out to the bereaved family more so because the husband too is a healer.
hello dr. smitha, my regards.its been long i know, just got to read your blog after a long time, and it saddened me immensely when i came to know about this from your blog. God give them courage , especially sir, who loved his wife immensely. perhaps god has his reasons in the things that he does. I am sure madam has gone to a better place.
I hope everyone in the faculty are doing well, my regards to each of them. i keep remembering those few months that so many of us were there, really lovely times.
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