Isa

I never met the girl, but I cried when my friend told me that she passed away.

For over a year, she's been battling brain tumour. How beautiful she is, how brave. I rmember the shock to my friend when he said to me a classmate of his sudden was diagnosed. Stage IV , I believe, last year. She went through surgery, treatments, and her family and friends rallied around her. My friend even shaved his head to stand in solidarity with her, in a campaign called "you save, I shave". It was touching.

Last year, when I went to India on my little pilgrimage, I prayed for her and got her a bracelet from the Middle Land. And anynomously, I donated some money to the campaign to provide her better treatment and allow her to enjoy herself and laugh and forget that she's fighting this terrible illness.

My friend said she passed away. My heart sunk, and felt how the family, how her newlywed husband must be paining. It is extremely sad, and I know very well the pain.

I know very well the void and the horrible longing and missing. How tired they must be after this long struggle, how very tired.

Now she is gone. No more illness, no more pain... Free now, free from suffering. Left on earth, are the loved ones who must now hurt and learn to move forward.

And what a long, long and difficult process it is.