We take a lot of things in life for granted the most important being life itself. Not just ours, but even that of others close to us. We forget that life comes with no guarantee and no expiry date and so we merrily take people and relationships for granted. We are busy keeping scores of who did what to us, who owes how much to us, not just monetary dues but also emotional and other dues; we wait for opportunities to get even with them and we are elated or gloomy depending upon our success or failure to do so; we grudge them the time and care given and expect the same or more from them in return – all while the clock ticks away and the heart is winding down — the worst part being that we don’t know whose.
So why am I talking of death today? Actually it is not and I am sorry if I gave that impression. This post is about life, love and hope. In fact, it is a love story of the rarest and most incredible kind.
Remember the post on Sunshine People that I had done some time ago? Well, some Sunshine People have the worst of life – unremitting sadness, privation and loss. What is more, unlike most of us, they don’t have the luxury of taking life for granted. They know that the inexorable hour is approaching. And yet, between bouts of grief, they dig into the depth of their souls and find a smile. They find reserves of compassion for another soul in distress and pray for their welfare.
I am privileged to be the friend of one such Sunshine Person, who lost her husband this morning. They had been married for nearly two decades. Barely a few months into their marriage, her husband, a civil engineer working for a construction firm had a fall that broke his spine and disabled him. The company fired him after giving him a paltry amount as settlement. The couple didn’t have the wherewithal to fight for their rightful compensation.
I first met her when she was in her twenties, a few years after the accident — beautiful, glowing and full of cheer and laughter. The couple shared a rare affection and camaraderie. They laughed, bantered and quarreled — just as any couple would do, except that she had to clean his urine and stool bags, sponge him down and be in attendance day and night.
They still had hope that things would become better. She was a devout woman. Her rented house had a whole room devoted to her Gods. A brightly polished brass lamp burned bright as her smile and the incense spread its fragrance just as she did. She visited the temple of the goddess near her house every day. And she prayed for her husband, her friends, her loved ones. Did she ever ask for anything for herself? I doubt it.
They thought that it was just a matter of time before he was able to walk again and work. And work he did, from his bed. This was in the early ‘90s when computers were not such a rage or even used so extensively in school and college projects. So he set up a tiny unit with a small loan from the bank, where he helped college students with their projects related to computers. The compensation from the company had been exhausted long since on medical bills. He had an older brother, a failed genius, who quit a good job and then worked off and on, tried his hand at business, failed and finally came to live with them. His moral and physical support was welcome but he was a drain on their meagre resources nevertheless. The three of them fought like kids, but stayed together.
Her parents were distant. They were extremely rich and felt that she was wasting her life with a disabled man. When she asked them for financial help, they advised her to leave him and come home. Shocked out of her wits, she shut the door on them and their money. She adopted my older sister as her surrogate mother then.
‘Had it been me in his place, would they even think of such a thing?’ she wailed. ‘I don’t wish to call them my parents,’ she said bitterly. Her older sister and niece were pillars of support for her, but they could only help physically and morally not financially. She couldn’t take up a job since her husband needed 24×7 care and they could not afford full time help. It was a struggle all the way.
Sometimes fate mocks at courage. Or is it one’s own karma?
A rival institute started on the same street and soon the marketing gimmicks and the spit and polish of the place took away the few students he had. The bank clamoured for its loan and they had to shut shop and sell off their stuff to pay the loan. The dear face of my friend became lined before their time; the glow dimmed in the eyes, but the laughter never left her face. She never talked of her problems when I called or met her, always asking about my health and problems instead, as if hers were incidental. I am humbled to remember her trekking to temples to pray for me when I was going through turmoil in my life.
As the years progressed, the income dried up, his health problems increased and got more complicated and they only managed to survive with the help of friends. She finally got a piece of land and a tiny house from her parents. They had bowed down to their stubborn daughter who refused to abandon her husband. But that was about all they did.
Fate was not done with them yet.
The final straw came when he was diagnosed with cancer. It had spread so far in his innards that his tongue was affected and doctors snipped away a part of it. Chemotherapy was of no use in controlling the raging disease in its final stage by then. With his tongue having been removed, there was no way they could banter with or talk to each other anymore.
The bruised heart still beat and ached for her love. She had to feed him a spoonful at a time but she didn’t mind it as long as he ate or drank something. And then, during the check up yesterday the doctors told her that he only had a month or two at the maximum. My sister, called me to give the news.
I called her immediately. She, who never allowed even a teary voice while speaking, broke down. We both wept together and I don’t know what I spoke to her. Suddenly at 2 AM, I inexplicably woke up and couldn’t go back to sleep. At 6 AM, I got the news that the clock had stopped at 3 AM. I knew what had woken me up at that unearthly hour then. We had had no inkling that the months the doctors had given him would turn out to be mere hours.
Nearly two decades of penance had come to an end. The formidable spirit of a Sunshine Woman had stood by her as she cared for her husband with whom she had hardly lived as a wife for a few months before turning his nurse, attendant and friend and continued being those every minute of the day, every day for all these years with a smile and a prayer on her lips. How many of us would have that kind of patience? Don’t we get exhausted with the loss of sleep and being run off our feet when a loved one is ill?
‘What will I do without him?’ she asks a tinge of panic in her voice. She has lost the love of her life.
A love story has ended or has it just slipped into folklore?
Photo Credits:
This page – Swati Maheshwari
Homepage – Raghav Khanna
The Cybernag 
Similar story was of my uncle who is mech engineer in mp gov ( irrigation dept ) Due to accident he confined to wheel chair along with life long medicines , also during initial stages he had been hospitalized for years . Trauma was after that he cant work as his work is of field or workshop , his juniors got promoted. No kid and long family life . It was around 12 years back he left us ….. I know agony and helplessnes
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Thank you for stopping by and the comment. Yes, only those who have seen something like you and I have can understand the trauma and the agony of the caregiver.
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Very very touching story,Coudn’t control myself to comment here.God give her strength to come out from all the odds and to live with the memory of the loved ones.
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When her story is so moving, how hard it must be for those who have watched her over the years and now! She is at the moment still too zapped by the event to think about her future. But soon she will be up on her feet and be a source of inspiration to others as she has always been. Thank you for the wishes. I will pass it on to her.
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No words!! Such a touching love story, Zephyr..
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Thanks Sia. The idea of publishing this was to reach as many people as possible to show that goodness still exists in this world.
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It is indeed a love story of the rarest and most incredible kind. Very touching. A sad story but also a spirited tale. What a great person she has been.
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Indeed Munchow. All her friends and well-wishers continue to form a ring of support round her to keep away the parasites that have cropped up out of the woodworks to sponge off her. But she will prevail, God willing.
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Tears welled up in my eyes as I finished reading about this beautiful soul who never gave up on love.
Truly inspirational.
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Oh Purba, she would come rushing to wipe yours off were she to see the tears. She is so unbelievably compassionate. As a teacher, she would be an inspiration to a whole lot of children.
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An extra ordinary woman!. My namaskaram to her and people like her. I am filled with sadness, and also want to salute her spirit. Thanks for sharing her story Zephyr. It humbled me.
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She is a lovely person with a spirit and good nature to match. Her smile is worth a million rupees, even in the face of death itself. God will surely stop testing her and give her peace. She humbles me every time I speak to her, Pattu.
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Her faith is very strong, which is so rare now a days. Earlier generation had no choice, but now, she chose to face her troubles with strength. A rare courage . Amazing.
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What is more, Pattu, she did it with love and not a sense of duty alone. He tried to provide for her and redeem her jewellery which had been pledged, even from his bed doing whatever he could to earn something, till cancer did him in. It is a sad yet inspiring life. And like Sudha said, even I would have found it hard to believe had I not been her friend.
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She still had belief and hope to carry on. The belief in god. I dont know from where she was deriving her strength from. I guess these are the people whom i would probably derive strength during tougher days of my life. Thanks for sharing this.
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She has great faith in God and is never angry with Her Goddess whom she calls Amma. And when you believe that your Amma will take care of you through all trials and tribulations, the strength flows. But it is very hard to emulate that kind of faith, Archana. Only someone as positive as my friend can do it.
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OMG, my heart goes out to her. I hope she finds peace and forever feels his love blanket her. She deserves all that and so much more.
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She will. Do you know that he kept trying to earn money even from his bed and would painstakingly save money to bring back one item of her jewellery from the pawnbroker, but would have to pledge it right back at the very next medical emergency? She deserves a lot and we are all praying she gets them all.
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She seems to be a wonderful woman, a person we can all be inspired by. She will be in my prayers. I am sure she would get up and move on with her life, and get back her smile.
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Prayers and good wishes never go in vain, Rama. I am sure she will find her purpose in life and make like beautiful for those she touches with her sunshine.
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My heart goes out to your friend. Very few would have had it in them to stand by their loved one so steadfastly. May she find the courage (I am sure she has no dearth of it) to face the situation.
These are the soulmates that we so often find mentioned in books and movies. Only that they are real-life characters.
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Fiction does follow real life. And we think that such people don’t exist till we meet one in flesh and blood. She is indeed a strong woman and hopefully will find the courage to stand up to the emotional blackmail of her relatives who never stood by her but are not trying to wangle even the little she has to her name.
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Life is so unfair at times. I wish your friend all the courage she needs to face this situation.
She is a hero in my eyes and the love she had for her husband is something very rare. God bless.
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She is a very strong person, but sometimes even innate strength falters. It is at such times that good wishes and prayers of well-wishers bolster the courage. All the good wishes have been passed on to her. She is an inspiration and a model of faith in goodness and God.
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We need such people in this world to make it a good place to live in, it is because of such lovely humans that world is running, otherwise it would have been destroyed ages ago.
I have tears now and wish god was more kinder, I hope god gives her strength to bear the pain.
This is true love as you said how many of us would have done this or lived our life like this, many of us are of the mentality that was shown by her parents to leave the man and come back.. this is the national mentality these days..
I guess you are lucky to know such a beautiful human being, I would feel blessed and lucky to know her, Please when you talk to her next do pass my condolences and regards to her.
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Thank you Bikram, I will. There are many such people who are making this world a better place. My sister is taking a print-out of the post along with all the comments for her to see and keep. She doesn’t have a computer. All the prayers and best wishes will stand by her and give her strength. Even God has to bow to her strength and resolve and make her life better.
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Everyone here has said all that I was going through my mind while I read this story. Tears filled my eyes, sorrow and anguish filled the heart imagining the life of the woman. At the same I admire her, her nature and attitude that is definitely very rare. I also loved Uggich Konitari’s touching weave of words that aptly described what we all felt. I sure hope God compensates her richly for the selfless penance that she carried out. The world is going on surely because of such sunshine people. *tears blinding my eyes now*.
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I am going to ask Suranga permission to include the poem as part of the post, it is so beautiful. She is a strong woman and just needs someone’s hand to hold as she struggles back to her feet. Some good people are there with her to help her do it. And indeed the world is going around only because of such people. Is she were to see you, she would wipe your tears first before wiping hers!
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What can I say that has not been said already here, except to add that your friend is an example of someone who lived out her marriage vows, in spite of having parents and in laws who forgot that their love and responsibility towards their children is unconditional. That is truly remarkable, and if I hadn’t read it here, I would probably not have believed in the full story.
My condolences to your friend. And hugs to you, Zephyr.
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She is indeed out of this world and like you I wouldn’t have believed my sister about her good nature had I not met and interacted with her myself. She was true to her marriage vows — the marriage her parents had fixed for her — it was not a love marriage where they wanted to punish her and told her to leave him to get their help. I will pass on the condolences to her. Hugs to you too, Sudha.
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Really heartrending narration of a true love, which never dies. Hats off to the valiant efforts of your friend, who bore the cruel fate with a cheery smile, never blaming any one, nor praying for her own welfare, but for the well being of others. My heart goes to her, but apart from giving her wordly solace, what else can we offer her. She had offered her whole life at the Altar of True Love. I pray to God to give her the strength to bear this irrepairable loss.
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If I didn’t know her, I would have dismissed the story as being a figment of someone’s imagination. But GNB, these Sunshine people exist around us and are a constant source of inspiration and admiration for us. When he was given just a few weeks to live, she was torn between seeing him be free of pain and losing him. Had it been a lesser woman, she would have been relieved to be free of the constant tension of caring for an invalid. All our prayers will surround her like a halo and help her find her feet again. Thank you GNB.
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That was a heart wrenching post and I’m all choked up !
What a brave heart your sunshine friend is indeed !
May God give her the strength to continue in the same brave way she weathered her lot earlier…….
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She is indeed, Chits. And knowing her she will also spring back to her feet and rise from the ashes like the phoenix. Talking of brave hearts, don’t you have one in your family too? We are all blessed to have them around us to keep reminding us of the blessings we have in our lives.
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I can connect with your post as I know of similar cases. God Bless this Sunshine woman. May we learn how to be strong looking at them.
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There are many many such heroines and heroes. If we could only learn from them, as you have rightly pointed out.
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I have no words, the eyes have welled up……..and yes, fate does mock at courage.
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But as Suranga pointed out, even God has to pause and think if he has not made a mistake, then what of fate? It will have turn tail and bolt in face of such fortitude.
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I had a lump in my throat as I read this. Hats off to the Sunshine woman for all the bravery she’s displayed through the years. I admire and respect her.
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Join the club, Priyanka. We all are rooting for her to spring back stronger and sweeter.
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[…] https://cybernag.in/2012/08/a-love-story/ […]
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Hii,first time here….. this post made me guilty for all the times I have been thankless,such a lovely woman your friend is,I really hope and pray she gets all the sunshine and love she spreads back in amazingly wonderful ways. She is truly an inspiration. Thanks for sharing this.
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Thank you for linking to this post, Anu. It is a story that can at least make us pause and think for a while if our complaints are even worth our tears. Most of the times, it is just impatience that makes us fret over hurdles and hardships. Our prayers won’t go in vain and she will bounce back.
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I had goosebumps, even as I read it the second time. 😦
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Maybe you will get to meet her sometime. She is a lovely person.
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Everybody has said everything that needed to be said so i am not going to add anything to this amazing story. truth be told, i doubt i could love so unselfishly, so patiently, without rancour or bitterness. i really don’t. And i’m being brutally honest here 🙂 so, Hats of to her. she will grasp life in both hands. of that, i am sure. My condolences to your friend and you, who have brought forth the tale of this amazing woman as an inspiration, to all of us.Thank you, for sharing.
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You, Prema have zeroed in on the things that brought about this post. I had wanted to share this as a reminder to all of us not to take life for granted and live it as it is meant to be — with compassion and courage. And you also have gauged her spirit so correctly — she will prevail over her circumstances. Like you, I am also honest that I can never be as patient and compassionate over such a long period without rancour and self pity. Her story will make me try to be a fraction of the person she is, though.
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Touching story. May she find enough courage to get through this phase. She is such an inspiration !
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Oh, she is a fighter indeed and will not bow down to fate so easily. She has many more lives to inspire and light up.
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Agree with Corinne here Zephyr,we forget to count our blessings,we cry over little things and real people like your friend fight their battles with a smile.Convey my heartfelt condolences to this remarkable lady and thank you for sharing this real life story of a remarkable sunshine spirit.
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It is precisely for this reason that I was compelled to share this story, Imps. We are all busy weeping over trivial things most of the times and complaining about the hardships we go through, while such souls battle life day in and day out and still retain the spirit. I will pass on the condolences to her.
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Deeply moved, Zephyr and who wouldn’t be. Thank you for sharing this story. It makes me think of all the times I am so petty with the people I love – so much to learn everyday.
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She makes me feel humble every time I speak to her. Such people can exist only in films and fiction, and if I didn’t know her personally, I would have thought so too. And like you, I am reminded of too many instances when I have been irritable and petulant about things, cribbing and crying over small things.
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Have been reading your latest post and am still to recover. I tried to comment twice and failed. Then I wrote this. For once, I think even the Gods must be rethinking on what they did. And hanging their heads in shame….
My prayers,respects and condolences to your brave and amazing friend.
A deep foundation
dug together
for their life,
built
stone by difficult stone.
So many
walls
crumbling again and again
in the face of
sudden storms,
floods of pain,
shifting grounds,
and vagabond stones.
A belief
in what was hers,
to love, nurture, and live,
she rebuilt
with him,
again and again
against all odds.
Only to find,
when the steeple
was complete
that the land
was not theirs.
Their temple stands,
braving the
winds,
and the God inside
wonders
if he has somehow made a mistake……
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Suranga, this poem brought on the tears afresh. Your words so beautifully portrayed their struggles and God’s musing about his own handiwork. He indeed must be wondering and forced to make things better for her. She will do it too. Her voice a while ago was determined. And she will still be doing it for her husband, her love for he could never see her happy, but from his abode in heaven, he will see that she is, finally.
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I am choked after reading this.
What a spirited lady she is! God Bless her.
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Even God must be applauding her for her fortitude and unwavering love. Thanks for the wishes. I will pass them on.
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Such a heart-rending story. Your sunshine friend is the epitome of all that is good and noble in this world. Such selfless, unstinting love is hard to come by. Sending all my good wishes her way.
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I will pass on the good wishes, Shaili. Such stories are hard to come by, which is why I wanted to share it, though it was the most painful thing for me to chronicle her sufferings.
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Really touching! Thankfully the world still has people like this.
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Don’t we say in Tamil that the monsoons still come because of some good people and thus we all benefit? She is one such good person. I felt compelled to share this because the story had so many messages for me.
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i have no words, just tears in my eyes.. hope ur sunshine friends gets all strength to overcome his loss. may his soul rest in peace.. she is indeed an synonym of patience and love.
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As I told others in my replies, if she were to see your tears, she would first wipe them before wiping hers. She is that kind of person. And to think fate plays havoc with such wonderful people! She is strong and will surely overcome her loss too…I hope…
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Felt a chill run down my body… But as you said, the post is all about love, life, hope… and inspiration.
I pray to God to give her all the required strength and courage to bear this huge loss and move on. And I am sure, the sunshine person that she is, she will continue to spread the rays of her love and brighten the lives of all around her. Wishing her God sent blessings now and always ahead…
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You are so right Arti. She will surely bring sunshine with her attitude and love to others’ lives. If she has not become bitter after so many trials, she will not let it overtake her nature now. And the love of her husband will be with her in her fight for her survival.
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A real, true love story indeed!
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Yes, it is Amit.
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I don’t know what to say. On the one hand I am feeling sad for the lady and the life that she has lived till now but on the other hand I cannot help admiring her for her spirit. I thank God that I am not in her place and God forbid if I had been there I am sure I wouldn’t have her kind of strength.. I salute her.
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We all have deep reserves of strength and fortitude within us. But only some of us can call on them to stand by us in times of distress. She is one of the few of God’s chosen ones. Don’t they say that God tests only those whom he loves most?
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I choked over reading this 😐
May God bless your Sunshine friend…. may your friend’s husband’s soul RIP….
I really don’t know what to say honestly…
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I didn’t know what to say to her too when I spoke to her after the doctors had sent her home with the words of doom. So we both cried together. Sometimes tears help to cleanse away the terrible sorrow. I am sure her husband would watch over his love.
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I choked over reading this one 😐
May God bless your Sunshine friend…. may her husband’s soul RIP….
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Been here today more than half a dozen times to make a comment and didn’t know what to. I hope he has some mercy on her atleast now and grant a peaceful life for the rest of her life. These are the times when I am angry on god. Your friend is a true inspiration for many of us to count our blessings. Will pray for her..:(
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Her first priority in life right now is to get rid of the parasites trying to suck out her very blood. And I am sure that she will succeed in building a life for herself and continue spreading sunshine and love around her. All prayers will help her.
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I got goosebumps Zephyr…I really have no words right now..just too overwhelmed!
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Sometimes words don’t matter but the good wishes and prayers do. I will send them her way from you.
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A very poignant read and am finding it difficult to pen my thoughts! All I can say is that we must count are blessing every day and be grateful to almighty for what he has generously given us!
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Yes, Rahul. Not just that, but also remember that life is short and we never know whose turn it is next and so be compassionate and caring about those whom we come in contact with.
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People’s real character and strength are tested during the toughest times of their lives. Your friend has demonstrated a lot of character. With good people like you around, I am sure she will do well in the future.
Destination Infinity
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She just needs the support of good people around her, for there are those too, who have silently supported her through the years. Interestingly they have all been ordinary people who have shared their own little resources with them. And yes friends and people like my sister.
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Such a heart-rendering but beautiful story. While i feel sad that your sunshine woman lost the only thing she loved, she has inspired all of us to live life thanking whatever it is we have got, be it happiness or misfortune. It is rare in today’s world to see such dedication and love.
I salute both of them for their strength and perseverance. I wish there was more i could write, but words fail me right now. May he rest in peace, and may she get peace as well…
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Thank you for the words of comfort, Santosh. It is very rare to find this kind of love and dedication indeed. For, as Ruchira pointed out, there are the other extreme of people too who wash their hands of their loved ones, if they loved them at all, that is. She is a fighter and will surely stand up and hopefully build a life all over again, this time without her love being present in person.
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Yes, I will pray for her to be strong and rebuild her life….
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I read this story on the phone, Zephyr and was so deeply moved. In this world of selfishness and apprehension, we never succeed in achieving this level of love…your sunshine friend inspires me so deeply, Zephyr…so deeply!!! I pray for her–may she find her love metamorphize in new ways…
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She will, Bhavana. Some people elicit pity, others inspire courage and strength. And my friend belongs to the latter category. She is a trained teacher and I am sure the students she touches will all turn into something wonderful. Overcoming odds is not so unusual, but doing it without bitterness is.
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Such a touching story, Zephyr! I am at a loss for words- my heart goes out to your friend. I hope she finds a meaningful way to carry on…..
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She will, Manju. As I said, this love story might just become part of folklore…
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Has there ever been a better example of unselfish love and sacrifice ? I know a woman who divorced her husband when he was dying of cancer because she would rather be called a divorcee than a widow.
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That was the most despicable thing a woman could have done. But the best thing about my friend is that she never considered it as a sacrifice. She did it out of her deep sense of compassion and love for the man she had narried. And despite arranging the marriage, neither set of parents bothered with them. Her in-laws lived in the same city and came from time to time to establish their right as their son’s parents, witnessed their children struggle to pay the medical and food bills and suffer, and hers didn’t come at all. The mother didn’t even come when her daughter lost her husband.
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That is unbelievably tragic and heart-rending reminiscent of writings of Thomas Hardy. And like a true Hardian heroine your friend has faced the ignominies and fortitudes of life with courage and dignity.There is a significant difference, however, in this case. This story still goes on. I have heard Hardy being described ‘disgustingly pessimistic’ but I am sure he couldn’t have written blacker fates than this. Apparently, Hardy was no match to that biggest writer of fates.
Other than that and without belittling the sunshine aura of your friend or your theory, she would have had her moments of suffering too, mostly in her private hours unseen by many including you, and that wouldn’t make her a sunset person. What I mean to say is humans are much more complex entities than being either incandescent or duds.
May his soul rest in peace.
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Hardian heroine she surely is, and a strong woman too. You know I am a great fan of Hardy, don’t you? When I spoke to her just now, she reiterated her resolve to build her life out of the rubble and stand tall amidst the ruins. Right now, she has to fight for her right to the house she got from her father and evict the parasites which are trying to suck the very life blood out of her. I am sorry if the narration seemed to glorify suffering in any way or hold her up as someone who never wept or even that those who do break down are any less likeable. We all weep at times and we all have breaking points. She has had hers too. What I meant to convey was that, in her deepest hour of sorrow and suffering over the years, she didn’t once weep for herself. And though I am not privy to all her problems, my sister has been and I have this from her. But what I do know from interacting with her all these years is that she will bring some sunshine into the lives she touches.
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It is a sad, joyful story of love and companionship, suffering and sorrow! I can relate very closely with it, and someday when we meet, I will share with you why I relate so much to this story. She is in my prayers and so are you. Be at peace!
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She is a strong woman, Rachna. All our prayers will surely help her reconstruct her life. I am looking forward to meeting you too and God willing we will.
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Tear-stricken, lump in my throat and at a loss for words. Sincere Prayers to god to give your friend all the strength and courage to carry on and find reasons to make life meaningful.
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Thank you for the prayers Priya. She will carry on, albeit with an empty corner in her heart. And the smile will still be there, albeit a little sad. If she read these comments, she would rush to wipe the tears of everyone. She is that kind of person.
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The real story of a hapless lady made my eyes moist.Such a misfortune should never befall on any one.It is a saga of great struggle and supreme sacrifice.I hope she still in her forties finds some work or cause to keep her happy.Our society should be more liberal as in West for a woman to choose her life and find a purpose in it.
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She is a strong woman KP. She is also a qualified teacher. And I know that the children she touches will get a little of her shine and glow. The parents and relatives might be heartless, but she has many friends in the society who will rally round her. And even God has to stand by her. She has compelled even Him to do that with her undying faith in Him.
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Very few people gave that kind of love and courage (it becomes more important when you know the future ahead isn’t rosy)…he was lucky to know her as she was – he must have been a piece of sunshine himself for her to burn so bright.
What can I say, that he is in a happier place and she can take heart from that and go on, even though it’s seems impossible or not worthwhile right now.
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Yes Rekha. He was indeed her perfect complement to her in the department of fighting fate. She fretted and fumed, but not for her plight. Instead she railed against the Gods for making her love suffer so. She will pick up the pieces and go on — and knowing her, she will make a difference to many lives.
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This story makes me feel a little more grateful about all the little things in life…really touching 😦
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She is truly amazing and I feel blessed to be her friend.
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No one has that kind of patience and ability to love. I just can’t express in words how much I admire that woman’s courage, wits, love and undying support for her husband. I just hope that she finds the reason to stay strong.
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I am sure, she will Jas, for she never thought she was making a sacrifice for him. And whomsoever she touches, she will make gold. Even cruel fate has to accept her strength and stand aside for her to move on.
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touching love story
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Indeed, SM, which is why I felt compelled to share it, even if tears were obscuring my vision.
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😦
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She would run to wipe this smiley’s sadness too, Madhav. She is that amazing a person.
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I have very seldom had tears in my eyes! This is one person who deserved the best in life and one love that deserves more than a Taj Mahal.
I cannot understand how people like her parents think and feel – or, indeed, what they think they live for! What sort of parental love is it, if indeed it was, that lays down conditions on when it shall be showered and can ruthlessly abstain from giving a helping hand merely because the daughter chose to stay with her disabled husband against their wishes.
Love, I have always understood, is a feeling that makes you rejoice in the happiness of your loved one and makes you feel pleasure in being able to lend support and a helping hand in times of need. Looks to me like my definition of love is not a popularly accepted version going by tales of parents like this – though your friend is a grand exemplar of my definition of love.
God, they say, does not test anyone beyond her ability to endure. One can only decry His need to test people like your friend to the breaking point.
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Thank you Suresh. The condolences would be passed on to her. She indeed deserves the best and hopefully she would get it. I would like to believe that she has suffered all the sorrows of one lifetime in the years that she has stood by her husband. Two people brought together by their respective parents, but both abandoned by them in their most trying of times. You are right — they indeed mock at the definition of love itself. Her life only reconstructs the life of saints of yore whose devotion has been tested by God Himself and found to be beyond compare. I am privileged to be in her circle.
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