Perfect Peace!

Tomorrow is Christmas day. The season in Vellore started mid November with the College carol service during my open biopsy time. Tripti sang in the Choir. The medical students have left for home and many on the campus have gone to their home towns to spend Christmas with their larger families. The commercialization of the festival that people harp about isn’t really an issue in Vellore – it’s at times almost just another day. Anne and Tripti have left to the library. Appa and Amma have gone to work and I am sitting alone wondering about what this Christmas means to me.
Christmas and company- Last year Anne’s parents and brother Cherry spent Christmas with us here. It was a time of rest, catching up each other and enjoying the fellowship of two families that had fairly recently come together. This year Amma’s sister Lizzie ammama will join us with her husband Appu acchachan. They live in Singapore and are coming tonight.
Christmas and the tummy – I love mutton and Appa went early this morning and selected 2 beautiful legs of mutton for a roast tomorrow! I don’t think any chemo blog talks as much about food as mine does!
Christmas and Jesus – Peace and Joy. Now that’s what this Christmas practically is. Not just tomorrow or today. Through this experience of the last 2 months we have experienced a Peace that can only be divine and Joy that can only come from a baby that came to give all he had. It’s been Christmas every day in Vellore and I hope it is for everyone else too. And the great thing is it’s something anyone can have. Peace and Joy from a baby. Now isn’t that something exciting?

This picture is from my college days - Mens hostel at Christmas.

10PM - Dr. Benjamin, my boss called the department and some others to his home for a Christmas meal. It was a really great time, we had a little firework show and sat around and spent time just enjoying the ambience of good food and music and a lovely home. Here is a part of the team I worked with and Sir's wife - Dr Anuradha (just behind me)