The revelations

Last couple of days have been startling but I have also found some hope that it's all for good. Being lost isn't all that bad when you know that there is a way out.

1) M has to undergo another surgery but that will happen next month. The docs have finally managed to insert a food tube through his nose which eventually bypasses his pancreas, the organ that has been badly damaged and needs to be operated on. Of course this was after 1 failed attempt, so one can imagine the pain M must have gone through during the process! At least this will ensure he gets enough food to regain some strength - that will prepare him for the surgery next month.

2) Finding out that someone close to you suffers from a mental illness and a very complicated one at that, is not a very good feeling. You can't help but wonder that why out of 2-10% of the world population who suffer from this disease, one had to be someone you know. But the 'why me' or 'why them' question is irrelevant. You just know that there is problem and you need to solve it. Or least you can do is not aggravate it. 

Secretly I have always harboured the thought of building a career as a counselor. Few close of friends of mine must have heard that very often from me (apparently I am very good agony aunt :D). And that's definitely not because of the boredom of my current job (which I am very happy with by the way). This thought goes back to the 'Hello Zindagi' days :) Yes, I was about 8 then. 

 So my current situation gives me a brilliant opportunity to 'play the shrink'! I have been digging out the internet for information and it's been quite an experience. The revelations about certain mental disorders that some people have moved me to tears because these people suffer so much due to the disease. And their family or friends never even know that their loved one behaves the way he/she behaves because of a chronic illness and that they need treatment! The social stigma attached to mental illness in India prevents people from getting professional help and that just makes the situation worse!

P.S: To keep my spirits up I have been listening to 'All izz well' from the movie 3-idiots. Ok it doesn't have soulful lyrics and all but it's really funny and true as well, even though in a crude way. Here's a line I really love -

Murgi kya jaane aande ka kya hoga
Aree life milegi ya tawee pe fry hoga
Koi na jaane apna future kya hoga

Honth ghuma
Seeti bajaa
Seeti bajaa ke bol
Bhaiyaa aal izz well

:)

 

The placebo

At the moment, I believe that if a 'holy man' sees the picture of M and chants some hymns, M will get better. That his second surgery tomorrow will be a success and that he will recover quickly after that.

Under other circumstances, I would have rolled my eyes and sighed at other people's blind faith.

The placebo effect. Well... life's like that.

About a boy - M

Strange are the ways of life. One moment everything seems perfect and in another moment your whole world comes crashing down. We realize the difference between what we really need and what we just want. Our needs are much more important than our wants and we seldom realise that until a great tragedy strikes us like a lightning bolt. Guess it's God's wake up call to us - to get us back on track.

Right now, I need my kid brother to recover from the horrendous accident that almost took him away. Please God! What a nightmare the last couple of days has been for my family! Please have some mercy on the kid!

M has always been my favourite cousin. And I am sure other cousins will agree. A spunky kid whom everybody loves. As most of us in the cousins brigade are older than him, he is naturally the most pampered and loved kid brother.(Once I  almost asked my aunt if I could adopt him when I grow up!) He is like any other teenager. Books, music, soccer, friends make up his life right now. His facebook page says:

"I'm a 5-thing man... U'll first notice that: I'm a football freak, I love metallica, Greenday n some other californian bands. I'm an atheist, in other words, I don't like fairy tales! I love travelling. Driving, especially! And I love photography...."

The driving part pricks my eye because now he lies in the ICU on artificial respiration and has needles poked in to his frail nerves. He has been given 12 bottles of blood and has undergone a surgery in the last 48 hours.

So he is an atheist eh? I am sure a lot of us in the family have vowed to appease a zillion Gods asking for this atheist's life in return. What an irony!

Get well soon M. You've troubled us enough:'(

Lucky again :)

I remember a school going girl who was mad about this singer who had just hit the music scene. He wasn't your typical young kid on the block making 'pop' music. He wrote beautiful songs that touched the soul of the listener. So our little girl was no different. There wasn't a day that passed without listening his songs. She saved money to buy his tapes and listened to them for hours together. Once, a school in her city invited him over to perform in their  cultural fest. The girl's excitement knew no bounds when she heard about it. But she could not make it to the concert. Clutching the text book in her hands, she tried hard to listen to the faint music emanating from the distant speakers, even as she pretended to study for her exams the next day. She had missed the chance.

She graduated from school and moved in to college but her love for his songs remained the same. Buying her birthday gifts was easy - his albums were just perfect. She grew more and more fond of his music. The long ride to college were filled with his songs on the battered walkman, a pass down from her NRI cousins! And one fine day she got lucky. She got to know that he will be performing in another concert in the city. There was no way she could miss it. She convinced her father to buy her tickets and even join her in the concert.

That was most memorable experience ever. She smiled, sang and waved as she watched him sing on stage, just a few feet away from her. It was a dream come true. His voice echoed in her ears for many more years to come. Someone she knew had met him backstage but somehow she missed out. Nevertheless she was very happy to have watched him perform live and she found him even more endearing after that. May be I'll get lucky again and meet him sometime in future - she convinced herself.

Years passed by... the man was not heard too often on the music scene, barring a few songs in the movies. And though she wasn't happy about that, she continued to listen to his old albums. She couldn't have enough of it. She wondered why he had gone in to a hiding. But there were no answers.

Today, after more than a decade of admiring and loving his music, she gets to know that he is making a comeback by releasing a brand new album. She's got lucky again :) To cut the long story short - the musician in question is Lucky Ali and the girl is, of course, me :)

I found Lucky's Youtube channel today and went totally bonkers! Just relived all those memories attached to his songs! I love you Lucky! This video from his channel so reminded me of his concert that I attended back in college! I still have my tickets from that concert :)

I can't wait to get his new album and also watch the videos - they are usually stunningly beautiful and touching :) And what joy does technology bring with it - He is now on Facebook as well so that means I can interact with him online :) Yay!!

P.S: If the number of smileys on this post is anything to go by, then you know how happy I am :) 

You got to read this!

Here's why Mr.Subroto Bagchi is one of the best writers in India. Read this.

I think when you really feel strongly about something, it shows in your writing. Doesn't it?