Lisa Ray Instagram – This. Please read and take its message to your heart ❤️ this is not my story, but shared by my friend @amutedstory and as such, brings a poignantly personal, human element to the tragedy unfolding in India on our screens for those of us who are not in India right now 🙏🏼 Posted @withregram • @amutedstory Eight years ago, while I was still living in Paris, I caught infectious mononucleosis. Those who have had experience with the dreaded virus will attest to how much and how long-lasting the fatigue is. In my case, the early throat and gland symptoms lasted for close to two months, but the lack of energy and tiredness stayed with me for a whole 6 months. . At the time I had a full-time job and no partner, which meant that I lived alone and cooked all my meals myself. Anyone who has grown up in an Indian family setup is of course not used to being sick alone, and I predictably struggled with getting my energy back. As all Indian mothers do, mine went into overdrive worrying, and frantically called up friends to see if there was anyone who could check in on me (all except one of my non-Indian friends refused to visit, for fear of catching it themselves). . One day the doorbell rang and a petite young girl with twinkling eyes stood at my door with a box full of khichdi made in ghee. She held it out to me, introduced herself as a relation of a family friend, chatted with me a bit and left. It was a small gesture, but I had been feeling so alone that I cried with gratitude at her kindness after she left. We kept in touch sporadically but then she moved back to India to start a family and we drifted apart. . Today I learned that the same girl passed away after giving birth to her second child due to Covid-related complications. There is no measure to my sorrow at the moment, but I hope wherever she is, she finds peace. To all on social media who are reaching out and helping each other, remember that even the smallest of gestures can go a long way. Be that memory for someone. The kindness of friends is one thing, but of strangers is something else. . #covidindia #rip #kindnessmatters