One of the most wonderful people in my life is not even in this country. We see each other once a year, if we’re lucky. And I have known her for 13 years. That’s more than half of my short life. We’ve seen each other grow. We’ve seen each other change in different ways. She’s one of my oldest friends.
I shared my journal with a few loved ones yesterday regarding Walter Kase. Anushree, the friend I describe above, was the first one to email me back.
from Anushree to Mariannedate Thu, Oct 1, 2009 at 3:19 AM subject Re: a not so quick hello mailed-by gmail.com
Hey Marianne,
I have exams this week so I was going to email you over the weekend (I finish on Saturday). But you beat me to it! And I’m so glad you did. I read your journal post and it is amazing. I’m sure meeting Mr. Kase must have been an experience of a life time for one. But to actually hear a story like this from someone who was a part of it is something completely different! Just reading his story, I could visualize the events that happened at Auschwitz. I’m at a loss for words.
You are absolutely right though, when we were 13 years old we worried about things that dont even matter in the long run. Even today, we take everything for granted, our parents, friends, things we have etc. Little did we or do we realize that all the materialistic things are insignificant to the bigger things such as family, friends, religion, our life, and good health. But with that said, I think people in general have a tendency to forget that there are people suffering out there everyday. And for what? Greed, power, wealth?! He is right, nothing has changed! Living in the US, I think, alot of times we forget whats out side the country, and sometimes we need someone like Mr. Kase to put things like that into perspective, to not forget the war, the poverty, the hunger in other parts of the world. I mean I’m in India right now, and even I forget that there are people in the streets of India who are hungry, until I step out side of the campus.
Your journal entry is very well written I really enjoyed reading it, gave me a good break from school work! Really makes me think though. I guess we’re all waiting for that one person or that one group of people to put a stop to this kind of madness around the world, but as we all know, it’ll take a long long time. I think as a futuree doctor, this makes me change my outlook even more. From day 1, becoming a doctor for me has not been about the money. I looked at it and still look at it as an opportunity to help people, to treat them. The story is so moving…it really hits you (for a lack of a better term). So amazing. Thank you for sharing it with me!
And I want to say, that I am so glad and thankful to have you in my life. Oh…and tell your parents I said hi .
Love you!!!
~Anushree
When I read Anushree’s email, it humbled me because she really did know me at 13. Back in those days, we were all about which Backstreet Boy would be our future husbands (at one point it was AJ and another point it was Brian), why ‘NSync totally sucked (because they were BSB copy-catters, that’s why), and what we would wear to the Enron Earth Day Festival (fall into the GAP).
But now, she’s in a medical school program, in India. She’s becoming a doctor because she wants to help people. NOT for money. That’s refreshing. I know Anushree will change the world.
As for me, I need to go to bed early for a field placement interview at a middle school tomorrow. Middle school!! So angsty.
One love,
Marianne
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