One of the Darkest Days of My Life

 

One of the Darkest Days of My Life

Hello, everyone.

Today, I want to share a deeply personal experience—one of the darkest days of my life. Living in a foreign country, far from my loved ones, has never been easy. There are moments when the challenges feel overwhelming, and this was one of those times.

It all began with a seemingly normal day. I walked back from college as usual, but I started feeling feverish by nightfall. I thought I’d be fine by the next day, but things only worsened. My nose became blocked, a persistent cough followed, and the fever lingered for five days.

During this time, I couldn’t go to work, which meant losing pay. On one hand, my body was too weak to do anything; on the other, the financial stress of missing work weighed heavily on me. To make matters worse, being bedridden for days made me miss my family and hometown even more.

I spent five days confined to the same bed, under the same bedsheet, taking pills, resting, and praying to recover quickly. I felt helpless, aching all over and unable to stop coughing. I just wanted a shoulder to lean on, someone to comfort me.

Thankfully, my husband stepped in and took great care of me during this time. From ensuring I ate on time to giving me my medicine, he managed everything. But as the flu spread, he, too, caught the fever. I felt terrible knowing he was unwell because of me. He grew frustrated with my persistent cough, and though I understood, I felt powerless to stop it.

One day, I mustered the energy to walk to the pharmacy to get some tonic, and that’s when a thought struck me: Life is not easy, and good health should always be our top priority.

I used to work tirelessly every day, pushing my limits, but this experience taught me an important lesson—our health comes first. No amount of hard work is worth compromising our well-being because, in the end, we need our strength to care for ourselves during tough times.

To anyone reading this, I hope you remember to prioritize your health. Take breaks, listen to your body, and never ignore the importance of rest. Life isn’t just about working hard—it’s about working wisely and staying well.

Pooja Mattapalli