Her first salary

"Please don't buy me anything. You'll get your first salary tomorrow. It's my request, please spend it on your mother. She has played a big role in shaping you the person you are, and it's she who actually deserves this, not me." Clamped in bed, I told her, just before turning off the lights.

"No no. Nothing doing. I'm going to buy you something. Remember how earlier you wouldn't accept any gift from me, saying it was purchased from my parents' money and you will accept only when I started earning? Now you can not stop me, no no no no no" she spoke the last words rhyming up and down.

"Your parents have given you to me. That's all I need. You are far more wonderful than what I had ever imagined for. If you really want to gift me something, then please stay the way you are. Because if I had my way I wouldn't change a thing about you." I looked at her face, beaming even more gloriously than ever.

"I am not perfect. I have a long way to go." She said.

"You are always learning new things. You care for your family. Your base intent is good. You do good to people without expecting much in return. You want to see me happy always. If this isn't perfect then what is?"

Photo by Khanna Digital Photography

Appreciation letter to Indian doctors, who are also good humans

Dear good humans who happen to be doctors,

I just wanted to thank you from my heart. People like me have got so much from you all, that we can’t express enough gratitude. 

Thank you for spending precious years of your youth in education. As a result you earned your first salary much later than school classmates. Because you studied so much to form a good base, it ensured we patients got goodnesses in treatment. 

Thank you for inspiring the common citizen. I have seen you working crazy hours and giving your best to the wellness of every patient that you can. If you can do this and be at your best, then surely can others.

Thank you for optimism. This is something everyone can learn from you. Even when a patient comes with less chances of survival, there are cases you make them survive by being positive.

Thank you for caring. I have seen so many doctor families of my parents’ generation, who ensured a good lifestyle for their children. They sacrificed personal comfort for the benefit of their next generation. Especially those who themselves didn’t get much facilities in their own youth. 

Thank you for being strong. Coming to work every day, battling unreasonable people, learning new things in spare time, having untimely meals. And yet you keep going on.

Thank you for your diligence. Every patient who comes to you is unique. They have their own history and complications. You analyse all of that quickly, and offer solution which your experience tells will be right for them. And you don’t celebrate one success, as you quickly move on to the next case. 

Thank you for self learning. Despite having so many working hours, you make sure to catch up on new advancements. While balancing family and other commitments. At the same time dealing with various types of people, in your hospital as well as from other industries. You spend your entire lifetime in learning and use that to bring betterment in someone else’s life. 

Thank you for happiness. So many times people came to you with no other option left and you got them out of that situation. All while saying that results are in the hand of god and you have just done your duty. 

Thank you for everything. A good human in India has to face many things in order to become a doctor. Colleges charge insanely high fees, and they’re usually not run by people in medical field. Curriculum is far more rigid than other professions. While 20-something engineers are enjoying spending money, doctors are a long way to go before they start earning. Patients prefer getting treated from specialised ones, so they have to do multiple degrees. All of this when hearing things about violence against them. Some patients question their years of knowledge by discussing a few random articles on Google. Work life balance is practically nonexistent. There’s always competition from uncertified practitioners and naysayers. The money you earn is not always equal to the level of stress you take. Some people expect you to treat for free, and if you do that by putting money from own pocket, it’s not valued enough. Then there are those who expect doctors to do all the charity. Life of a good person in this field is always tough, yet you keep going at it. 

If you are a patient then please understand that there are two types of humans, of which one is the good type. As will be society, so will be humans and so will be doctors. If 100 out of 100 humans in a society are magnificent, then same ratio will be for doctors. Every human goes through a lot for becoming a doctor, they are people among us in this profession. If you get treated from a doctor , then consider them as working professionals and not god. Treat them with respect and also understand the constraints at their end. We people cannot survive without doctors, so we must ensure that we save them. 

If you are a doctor then I cannot thank you enough for all the good things that you’ve done. I am grateful for the support you gave me on my previous blog post. 

As you do your practice, I am aware of the issues which plague you. Things may take time to change for the better. I just wanted to thank you for all the happiness you’ve brought in my life. If there’s one thing I can do for you, then it is this. 

Dear good humans of India who are doctors. I pray for you. Please close your eyes and think. Whatever is your top one wish, may it get fulfilled ASAP. 

Once again, thank you and may god bless.