FREEDOM AT MIDNIGHT!!

It was 7 minutes past midnight when my cell phone beeped. I received the first birthday message from my former student, Sanya. I managed to open my heavy eyes. My limbs paralyzed by deep sleep, did not move, but my mind did. I thought, “Yipee! My birthday, and the day of FREEDOM from restrictions!!” and I sank back in slumber.

When I was a child, my mum would complain that I had far too many friends than was manageable. That is something that my Creator has blessed me with. As I said before, I have innumerable angels (my friends and family) all around me. The birthday messages started beeping and ringing in since the wee hours. I was not feeling too well that morning…a side effect of radiation. The energy generated by my loved ones gave me the strength to get ready for another day’s therapy.

I wanted to do all the things I had not done for four months. My mind shouted, “Hurrah! Let’s do it!!” but my body groaned, “Sorry, just cannot…too exhausted!” Normally I hate surprise gifts from my family, but as I returned from therapy there was a beautiful bouquet of tube roses waiting for me from my friends and a lovely gift from Madhu. Of course I was thrilled, but I still hadn’t done anything to mark my day of freedom.

Pradipta returned home from work with a gorgeous bouquet of colorful carnations, and Diya with a chocolate cake. All three of them (Pradipta, Diya and Tisham) insisted that we go out for dinner to mark my liberation day. I had neither eaten cake nor dressed up and certainly not gone for dinner in the last four months!! I wore the chic pair of denims that Tisham had given me, dashed the Armani perfume that Pradipta had bought for me, fixed my wig on my glossy pate and was ready in a jiffy. :)

Despite the incessant rain we went out for a sumptuous Chinese dinner. Unfortunately I had difficulty in swallowing the food as my oesophagus was sore due to radiation. My meal was restricted to bland, white Chinese dishes. Nevertheless, I ate as heartily and hungrily as the rest of the family. My excitement was that of a 4 year old or a 9 year old…certainly not of someone who had turned 49!! :))

I cut the delicious chocolate cake at night and we savored every morsel of it. Simba expressed his glee by barking loudly enough to awaken the neighborhood! After satiating my sulking stomach and satisfying my hungry mind, I bade adieu to the magical evening. From one mid night till the other, I had celebrated my birthday and my liberation. But above all, I had celebrated the joy of being alive in this world amidst my family and friends who held my hand!