You feel as healthy as you look pretty

You feel as healthy as you look pretty. 

Let me elaborate on this one. 

No matter what, you must never underestimate or undervalue the power of being all dolled up. 

Having said that , I must share the fact that the initial years of my sickness have deprived me of every bit of happiness. Some were circumstantial, and some contributed to having a particular mindset owing to those circumstances. 

One such thing was getting ready for the day. But for what ? I wasn't going anywhere. In fact, I wasn't even moving, so what's the point? 

It remained a situation for quite some years until the day I finally put on some cream on my face, following setting it with some talcum powder, then putting a bindi on my forehead just between both my brows. 

This and a look in the mirror, and all of a sudden I felt,

Look! 

There she is , "Me"

After years, I felt myself again. Someone I hadn't seen or met for almost a decade.

My bad health even altered the way I looked. It made me look exactly the way I felt, morbidly ill. But little did I know that all it took was using the products available at my mother's dressing table, which is literally nothing in comparison to what I have now, to bring me back to life. 

Well, it didn't happen overnight, and a huge lot of credit for this transition goes to the association I have had, particularly to this one girl with whom I have been associated for two-thirds of my life.

It was during my college years which made me came under the spell of her razzmatazz. She has all the glitz and glam, the display of excess, the social butterfly, only she wasn't all that social. 

I must admit I have always admired her sense of style, the way she used to adorn herself, the way she carried herself. My dullness and plainness of countenance always made a sharp contrast to her radiant appearance. 

But instead of making me feel small, her style inspired me. It taught me that looking presentable wasn’t about having vanity, but rather it was a form of self-care, a way of telling yourself that you matter.

That inspiration stayed with me, and slowly I began to follow it. I permed my hair, took care of my skin, experimented with makeup, and wore clothes that made me feel good. Even though I was unwell, the act of presenting myself well gave me a sense of strength. Each small effort reminded me that my illness could not define my entire being. In those moments, I wasn’t just sick, I was myself again. 

Dedicated to that special friend.