By Dr. Balesh Jindal
PROMPT—No one noticed ...
Frayed and fretting
Chafed and chipped
Gnawed over, till agony smirked
All over.
Spreadeagled, I lay
Soaked
In omnipresent sadness.
Soul less splinters and shards
Wounded me,
I begged but
They spared me not.
‘This is life’ they said.
I lived on with
Visions of a magical world
Pretty rainbows, slivers of gold rays,
New moons, new gardens
Tempered me with
A new strength for I knew
‘This is life’.
It was hope, my friend,
That nudged me
Consoled and cosseted me.
The unsparing paths that
Taught invaluable lessons
The small things that
Became beautiful
As I trudged on
This path called
Life.
Dr. Balesh Jindal is a distinguished graduate of Lady Hardinge Medical College and has been practicing medicine for forty years, witnessing India's transformation from an underdeveloped economy to an emerging powerhouse. Residing in Delhi with her husband, a hepatobiliary surgeon, she is a proud mother of two children who live in the USA. Dr Balesh has been writing poetry since she was ten and published them in various magazines and journals. Dr. Jindal’s essay "The Day of Compassion," highlighting her work with young girls subjected to sexual violence, was honored with the Award for Compassion by Stanford University. BBC.com featured her in an article titled, "The Most Compassionate Day in the World." Her accolades include being named one of the "100 Most Inspiring Women" by Fox Story, receiving the Delhi Medical Association Award for Exemplary Community Service (2023), and being recognized as the Indian Medical Association Health Ambassador for Excellent Health Services (2024). An acclaimed artist, Dr. Jindal has exhibited her work both in India and internationally, including prestigious art fairs such as Art Basel Miami and New York Art Expo. Her art is featured in collections worldwide and has been highlighted in leading design magazines and newspapers. She writes from New Delhi, India.
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