This incident happened in 2006, when I was the student of BE sixth semester in university college, Indore. Our semester exam was scheduled from 12th April. We had to submit all our internal project and practical reports in the month of March. From 1st of April, our preparation leave would start. We were a bit upset that we got only 12 days to prepare for exam. (However we were always prepared for paper just one day before exam date, irrespective of number of days provided by college authorities as preparation leave.)

It was 31st of March, I returned from college to room after our last internal project submission session. I was getting very much tired and felt like weakness. I didn’t take lunch and slept for next three hours. In evening, I saw some spots on my body, and felt like fever. We (I with my friend) went to doctor. Due to effect of medicines provided by doctor, I got some relief in night and was able to sleep. Next morning, I saw some more spots on my body.  I doubted that it may be Chicken-pox; I talked with my mother to confirm it. As per the symptoms mentioned by me, my mother was sure that it’s Chicken-pox and advised me to come home for better care. I picked some books, packed bag and moved to hometown Ujjain.

Later days were very troublesome for me. Within twenty four hours, spots covered my whole body; Body temperature crossed hundred. I felt pain in my back and legs. Insufferable headache was also joined these group of discomfort,   whenever I tried to study. I felt so much weakness inside; I was fainted and felt like I am going to lie down on ground whenever left bed to go for toilet or drink water. Hot summer days were also creating problem for me; I always felt as there was something burning inside me. In night, mummy covered my face, palm and legs with wet cloth, so that I got some relief from hotness and able to sleep. During sleeping, whenever any spot was touched by hand or by leg or by bad sheet, I cried due to sting in the spot; this happened almost after every fifteen to thirty minutes during sleeping. Mummy asked me to eat something to get well soon every time, but I was not able to eat any solid objects, due to tonsils in throat and, ulcers on tongue; I was fully depend on water and fruit juice for energy. My body has completely jammed at that time.

Apart from physical suffering, there was some mental stress also. I was in doubt whether I would be able to attend Computer network exam or not (our first paper of semester exam on April 12th). And if somehow I managed to reach the examination hall on that day, what I would write in question paper, as I could not study. Fail in any subject means I would not able to attend most of the companies in campus interview that followed after examination. These types of thoughts disturbed me whole day. Sometimes I took courage to pick books for study, but within five minutes, I felt my eyes were burning and my head will fire anytime.  Trouble made me cynical. I shouted to family members any time on any topic, any reason (food is spicy, nobody is giving me water and why people are laughing).

Things were not under my control during those days. I put all my efforts to make things cool, but all goes wasted. I felt, I could not do anything now.  I felt like a loser, who welcomes all troubles and problems; gives all control to them; and doesn’t do anything to troubleshoot. During these painful moments, I prayed god that please allow me to reach on examination hall on 12th April, and just provide me one hour before exam so that, I just looked my notes that I prepared during regular classes. Prayer is the only thing that I could do at that moment.

During that twinge moment, my mother kept her hand on my head and tried to make me think other than pain, chicken pox spots, fever, exam, study and tension. Sometimes she talked about my childhood, school days life. Sometimes she talked about my brother’s wedding that will be going on in next month; which dress will I wear on reception; what things I need to purchase etc. Although it didn’t block negative thoughts generation in mind, provides momentarily relief and made me feel that someone is caring me.

“We forget all worries for a moment and feel very happy, when we chat with our best buddies after a long time, especially with school time friends“ This happened with me when one day my school friends came to met me. It was lovely feeling when I knew that they came to met me. I felt very happy when I met them. Most important thing I laughed after a long time. smile that disappeared from my face from a long time was reappeared while meeting with them. We chatted for almost half an hour on various topics; we laughed on many occasions and finally they moved after making me happy.

One more thing that made me happy was the smile of my three year old nephew. Initially I thought my nephew will be scared when he looked my face full of chicken pox spots as sometime I also scared while looking my face in mirror. But to be very surprised, he didn’t scare when looked me; he behaved and played with me in same manner as earlier. I don’t know what thing make his behavior non-scaring, but what I know is that his smile acts as cool and refreshing air in the painful moments of summer days.

Sometimes a little thing makes a big difference in our perception. It happened with me when my college friend came from Indore to teach me, just two days before the exam. My suffering was at extreme on that day, I was not able to sit for study on that day and my head was fired with pain. My friend stayed with me for forty five minutes and during this, he explained various concepts of computer Network (our first paper). I moved my head in OK mode several times in between, to let him know that I was getting him, but to be very honest, I understood only ten percent of the things described by him. That meeting was not very fruitful for me in terms of study, but it made big change in my thinking process. I don’t know what magic did by my angel friend, but that meeting boosted my confidence and gave me courage to face the situation. I thought bad days are over and things will start recovering now. I planed for the study and exam. I thought I should go with notes, prepared during our lectures, rather than books, to cover maximum topics in limited time. Next day I go through the notes for two hours in morning and did rest till evening. Finally I moved with my parents to Indore in evening for exam.

Now my fifty percent work was done as I was very sure that I will reach to examination hall next day. But study was still an issue with me, as I still not studied sufficient to get minimum marks to pass the exam. “We can solve any problem of life if we have some good friends” this line worked for me also. One of my friends showed me the way to reach the examination hall and other solved the problem of study. One of my friends explained me some important concepts of computer networking in night. I just listened him well so that I could write something if any question comes on those concepts. This time I understood most of the things. After this one hour session, I went to sleep to ensure that I will be completely OK for exam on next day.

Finally D-day arrived for me. I again go through my notes for half an hour in morning because that was my key weapon in examination. Before leaving home, I thanked god for helping me in this tough situation. On the way of college, I made myself cool, relax and fearless. I said to myself that, I will be in no-loss in every situation. If I will pass the examination, it will be great victory for me and if I will not, I remember this thing in my whole life as how I fought with harsh conditions and came for exam by beating all tough situations.

“You may surround with people always and have lots of friend, but when you are in trouble, you can find only few friends stands with you.” I realize this truth of life first time when I entered in college. Most of my batch mates maintained distance from me and some tried to ignore me as they were not looking at me. But few came to me, appreciate me and gave their wishes for exam. I was happy that may be few; I have some good friends who stand with me in all situations.

College authorities made my sitting arrangement in separate room and finally I have question paper in hand. I read question paper thoroughly and analyzed I could attempt sixty percent of paper. I was sure about answers of thirty percent; but did not know complete answers of rest thirty percent. Now I have to manage thirty five percent marks to clear the exam from thirty percent sure answers and thirty percent doubtful answers.  Task is difficult but I took it as challenge. I took a deep breath and made me relax. First I wrote thirty percent answers, about which I was sure in one and half hour. In next one hour, I attempted rest thirty percent of questions. I finished my work in two and half hour. I didn’t know anything about rest of questions so I just checked all answers again and finished my work before fifteen minutes. Though I was in doubt whether I could manage passing marks before exam, but I was sure I will clear the paper when I finished question paper. My friend asked how the paper was and tried to discuss some questions while we were moving from college; I didn’t discuss any question with him and just said that this paper is cleared for me.

There was no limit of my happiness after the exam. I finally done that seem impossible just few days back. Result hasn’t come yet, but for me I won the game. I felt like a warrior who won the war by beating all troubles after the exam. Next paper was after five days and I was still not completely recovered from chicken pox, so I moved to my home town Ujjain again with my parents. On the way, I was very tired and felt very uncomfortable in hot day so just closed my eyes and tried to sleep in bus. After ten minutes Suddenly, radio started in bus and I heard a beautiful song-

During tiring and hot moments of the victory day of April summer, a satisfied smile spread on my face when I heard these lyrics. My mother asked what happened, I said nothing and bus start moving to Ujjain.

I cleared that paper with forty five percent marks; all chicken pox marks were also cleared after two months, except a spot between my both eyebrows. My mother told me that this sign is blessing of goddess to me. I don’t know whether it is blessing or Tilak of victory, but whenever I look this mark, the whole scenarios revolves live around my eyes; when I preyed to god and he showed me way by means of my mother, family members, friends and smile of my nephew.