The crossing

Crossing the road is something that all of us do. It’s a very involuntary lesson we all learn with time. But, ever thought that crossing a road could be more than just that? Well, one such crossing changed my life forever.
It was mid May – the month of my summer vacations and also the one when the sun is in his worst mood. It was one of my first visits to the Tata Memorial Hospital – a place where those suffering from cancer are treated. But, it was not one of her regular chemotherapy and radiation sessions that day. She had come to do some blood tests as the doctors had doubted that her cancer had spread furthermore. Of course, she didn’t tell me that when I asked her then.
Over a year of chemotherapy and radiation had already sucked half her life out and now they were sucking her blood – not a drop or two, but two test tubes full of blood! Can you imagine the brutality?! I cried. And what could be worse – the doctor-in-charge gave those test tubes to me and instructed me to submit them to the path lab located in the opposite wing of the hospital.
In order to reach the lab, I had to obviously cross a road – not a big deal, right? I thought so too. But, as I stood there waiting to cross, the opposite footpath seemed miles away. Suddenly, my body decided to act up against the gravity. I couldn’t raise my foot. My hands started sweating – not because of the scorching sun, but because of the fear that had begun to grip me. The cold sweat made my palms even more slippery. What if I couldn’t cross? What if I dropped the test tubes? Was I even capable enough to carry someone’s life in my hands? What was the doctor thinking - assigning such an important task to a kid like me? I was not even a teenager. I freaked out.
But, I knew I had to cross that road. I had to cross it for her. And I thought of her and how she managed to smile even when they sucked her of all her energy in the name of cure. How could I be such a coward? If I couldn’t do this, I thought, I couldn’t do anything at all.
So, I used all my force to stop the trembling of my fingers, picked up my body weight which felt like lead, gathered my faith and took a step forward. The crazy traffic, the harsh sunlight, people pushing each other while crossing – everything seemed plotted in my way to assure that I didn’t succeed. With every step I took I was fighting the fears that were killing me of hope and the tears that were blurring my vision.
But, somehow, I managed. How? Even I can't explain. All I know is that when I finally crossed, I turned back – and stood there for a moment – consuming what I had just survived – a simple zebra crossing – which transformed me from a kid to an adult. In just a matter of few minutes, the caterpillar had transformed into a butterfly. Delicate, but, colored with new hope and its newly discovered strength - all it had to do was accept its new form and flutter its wings to fly. Was I prepared to fly alone in the vast blue sky? I’m not sure. But, I sure had my wings now.
As tears flooded in my eyes, I looked down to see those two test tubes safe in my sweaty hands – her blood had given me her strength. The doctor had probably foreseen her enduring will in me. After all, I was her blood.