‘M’ for Manisha

 

I did not know you.

I’d left a comment on a friend’s Facebook status and you ‘liked’ it — the only one to do so. It was a political post, and I had taken an unpopular stance.

The next day, there was a friend request from you.

Those were crazy days — elections were round the corner and unlike any previous years, the atmosphere was highly charged this time, with divisive figures in the fray.

It took me some time to realize that there was no point trying to convince people to see my (our) point of view. That only led to arguments and often invited hurtful comments from trolls. We were battered from all sides and the party we supported lost massively, decisively 🙂

Through it all, you stood by me. And ‘solidarity’, they say, is the political name for ‘love’.

Going by your exuberance, I thought you might be a college girl, carried away by youthful idealism 🙂 But when I visited your profile, I discovered that you were an award-winning pottery artist with hundreds of followers!

The beauty of your soul shone through in all your work.

[One of Manisha’s art installations]

 

The election frenzy died down. People got on with their lives. You hadn’t been active for a while and I saw a message on your wall — ‘Get well soon Manisha’.

 

Glioblastoma. I had to look that up. It is the most common and most aggressive cancer that begins within the brain. Signs and symptoms are initially non specific. Worsening of symptoms is often rapid. 

The information didn’t mean much. It seemed unreal, dramatic. You were so full of life, warmth and love. How could the cold touch of death be anywhere near you?

Even when I learnt of your passing, my response was guarded. ‘It’s okay’, I told myself,  ‘you’d never met her in person. Sharing the same political views with someone did not mean you would’ve gotten along in real life.’

But the heart never listens to logic and continues to feel your absence. How could it have known that the harmless ‘friend request’ you sent, was an appeal to reside in it forever.

 

Who knows how long we’ve got
Or what we’re made out of
Who knows if there’s a plan or not

But I love you and this is our glory

 

This post is the thirteenth in a series of 26 posts that I am writing throughout the month of April as part of the A to Z challenge 2016.

‘M’ for Manisha is inspired by Dr. Gulara Vincent’s love letters. She writes bravely and powerfully about love, and has given me the courage to do the same.