What's in a name? Part - 1

Yes, this was the title of a blog by one of the fellow bloggers. And I picked this on purpose.

3 weeks ago, when I attended The Landmark Forum, along with 320 other people. This was a life enriching experience, which I truly cannot explain in words. I want to share 2 specific stories that individuals shared during this forum. I will post them separately.

1. Dr. Rajalakshmi - Or Raji, the way she likes to be called.

Day 1 - when I met Raji, I saw this hep person wearing cool top and jeans, well combed hair, excellently maintained figure. String of achievements to talk about - Successful Gynaec, written & published cookery books, opening her own Nutrition Boutique for ladies very soon, extremely successful, beautiful and she seemed to have it all - enviable career, daughter, family everything. She came across as a super human being - able to juggle work/life, yoga/dance/hobbies/reading all into one day. (I thought - "wow... amazing that she can actually do so much in the same 24 hours she too has... I am sure there is something going on in her personal life, which is why she must be here")

Day - 2 - I came to know she is struggling to come to terms with her 11 years old divorce. Her daughter is a child prodigy when she started driving a 4WD at the age of 4. She did her maiden rally from Hyderabad to Bangalore at that age. Today she has joined Bangalore Medical College to study medicine. (I thought again, "Now I know why she is in the Landmark Forum. Just like I thought yesterday, this should be the dark side of her personal life, which she wants to complete")

Day - 3 - Raji came on stage to share her story. She was orphaned at the age of 3.5 months. She grew up at an orphanage that was not allowing girls to go to school. One day, the caretaker caned her so much that her skin peeled off and stuck to the cane. She walked over to where the cane was lying, picked up the piece of skin, stuck it back to her arm and determined "I am going to school and will be successful one day". From that day onwards, she worked as a house maid to earn her living and take herself through school and college. She won 18 gold medals and went on to study medicine and become a gynaec. (I thought "Do I really know this person well enough to judge her life?")

But fate had something else in store for her. 2 years back she was diagnosed with Cancer.

My impression of Raji changed drastically from a super woman - to - an achiever, a fighter and simply a WOMAN in 3 days time.

So, despite having the name of Rajalakshmi, she went through sheer poverty and misery to where she stands TALL today. And that too with equal elan. Hats off to you, Doctor. May you be all the more successful in your life. I am sure with the positive attitude that you already have, cancer can be easily defeated. Wish you all the very best!!!