She didn’t like crowds, noise, dust, kids, filth, anything disorganized, so how could she have liked India?

But she was so happy that we are moving there.  She was so proud of E.’s job opportunity.  She was with us when we were pondering the pros and cons of jumping into an unknown world, and she was always on the side of  “pros”.  That was my mother for you, a world of contradiction, of extremes.  Although she was a master of negativity, she saw the millions of doors opening for us with this India project.

My mother lost her battle against cancer a week ago today.  An unfair battle.  A 70 pound woman against death.  An unfair battle against the medical institution that deprived her of a quiet, dignified death.

And true to herself, she sent us off in style: our plane tickets to Bangalore were issued the day the family said goodbye.  I know deep down inside of me that was my mother’s last gift to us.