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Recently there was this fun message circulating on Facebook
It was only for girls, women … the message read -
to post a unified, codified, but crazy message as our status.
It was for a good cause … to make people to stop and think,
and to really make people aware about the cause.
The status had nothing directly to do with the actual cause
or the actual issue, the problem at hand.

I obliged, mainly for the fun of it.
And my status read
“I am going to Dominican Republic for 21 months”
[The country indicating the [hijree 2012 :) ] month of by birth
the number of months indicating the date of my birth -
just secret coding to … keep people guessing!]

The serious looking comments I got for the status was crazy.
Some congratulating me for my globetrotting, for my PhD,
for how lucky I am, etc etc. I felt bad … leading them on …
So I had to reply to all my friends who commented
and many of my other friends (just in case they were misled),
telling them about my crazy status … about the cause …
telling them about the awareness issue.

The problem or the issue was that of cancer.
The purpose of those statuses was to make people pause
and to think about cancer, to at least understand
that a huge proportion of world’s population battles with cancer.
Cancer in many forms. So you see, the scam worked.
I was telling many of my friends.
And they in turn might have done the same.

And on Monday, yesterday, I got this message
in my official e-mail inbox. I did not open it as the subject read
“a small request by Monday” and it came from a general reading source -
it was not important work-wise I knew, so I did not open it -
especially it being a hectic day.

Now I open it … and I just had to post it here.
Also especially because I am having a painful lump on my skull
and only last night I was told by my sister nurse
that it might very well be a sign …
that I should take it seriously and go and see the doctor.
I had no idea … but I did some googling late last night
and now I have a fear.
Going to the doctor I will … and I hope it’s just a silly bump.

But having thought about it … after that discussion
and then seeing this e-mail -
I think it’s only fitting that I do my share of passing

So here it is. A day past Monday … and yet passing on the candle.

===============the e-mail message begins here:==============

Dear All,

 Monday is world cancer day…

 93% won’t forward

A small request and it’s just one line.

Dear God, I pray for a cure for cancer. Amen


All you are asked to do is keep this circulating, even if it’s
only to one more person. In memory of anyone you know
who has been struck by cancer or is still living with it.

A Candle Loses Nothing by Lighting Another Candle.

Please Keep This Candle Going… I’d appreciate it if you will forward this request.

=====================End of message=====================