Luck

 As we were about to leave the resort, someone had the bright idea of distributing keychains as memorabilia for the event. But, there was a snag. Our team had 40 people but there’re 30 key chains. Again, an overly enthusiastic verification engineer came up with the most cliched solution. We all submitted chits with our names on it and the winners are picked randomly. I fancied my chances. After all, the odds of me getting one is 3 in 4. But, I was in the unlucky ten. I thought, I must be born with heaps of misfortune. Otherwise, how could I explain the event. And, it had a fantastic appeal too. Saying I achieved success despite wretched luck is lot cooler than saying otherwise. 

Years later, I came across an article in newspaper. A terrorist organisation called Boko Haram kidnapped about 300 girls aged 14-16. Basically, girls who’re in high school. Very few of them returned to their homes. Most of them were victims of horrific sexual assaults. Some died. My biggest worry when I was their age was preparing for class tests. Was I lucky?

  Boko Haram is an organisation based out of Africa. Well, it is unfair to compare myself with someone from Africa, isn’t it? It’s only fair to compare with someone from similar socio-economic status. In the Syrian civil war, the number of refugees was estimated to be close to six million. Another six million people were estimated to be internally displaced. In a population of 23 million, close to 12 million people moved away from their homes. The odds of a person becoming homeless in Syria was 1 in two. It’s not far fetched to imagine the scenario where a huge number of well to do people, the ones in similar or better socio-economic status than mine, had to run away from their home. Some of the refugees from Syria went to Libya through brokers charging heavy fee and then tried to cross Mediterranean Sea in a Dingy. If they reached the other side, are they lucky? Or, if they didn’t reach the other side, are they luckier?

  About four lakh people died in India during the multiple waves of the pandemic this year. Having been through Covid ourselves, I’ve seen personally how difficult it was to get an oxygen bed, a Remdesivir dose. I know people who couldn’t manage it in time, not for the lack of effort. Whom did the luck favour? I guess, it’s easy to blame luck when things don’t go our way. But, it doesn’t get the credit it’s due. This year, I learnt to be thankful for all the luck I received over the years.

  On this note, I wish you all a very happy new year filled with joy and luck, hopefully, you don’t need to rely on the latter

 

Dr Romantic-2

 There’s a scene where Cha Eun Jae starts sobbing on phone, talking to her mother. Her mom asks her if she’s okay. She responds, “I’m okay. I am very, very happy today.” For someone who had been topper all her life, who wanted to stand up for herself in a family full of doctors, it was a huge turning point. For the first time, she finished a surgery without throwing up, collapsing or running away from OT, out of fright. Such a heart warming moment! All of us have to face our battles. No battle is smaller than another. That scene evokes emotions such a moment could bring. 

  By now, some of you would’ve guessed what the series is. It is “Dr. Romantic-2”. I got addicted to K-drama in this lockdown. I'm a sucker for medical dramas and Dr Romantic ticked all the boxes. I loved the first instalment of the series and started watching the sequel. Having seen so many series with botched up second seasons, I didn’t pin much hope on this one. But boy! Could I be more wrong? This one turned out to be one of the best series I watched till date and the one I keep watching again and again.

   Unlike other Korean dramas where the lead cast is super efficient, honest and with all the superlative qualities(a dark past is a must, of course), this one has a very relatable hero and heroine. They’re the underdogs fighting the system. You root for them to succeed professionally and get together personally. And, the series doesn’t disappoint you with artificial setups to create love. In a scene, Cha Eun Jae is anxious if she can go to the OT without drugs. At the same time, See Woo Jin is performing an operation which requires him to repair diaphragm tear. He immediately calls her up and asks her to take over the surgery. He assures her that, in a case where she can’t complete it, he’ll wrap it up for her. In the Kdrama world filled with elaborate and out of the world ideas to profess the love, this one shines the brightest.

  It doesn’t shy away from picking sensitive subjects. In one of the episodes, a paramedic is brought to hospital brain dead. She was portrayed as a very gentle soul who became victim to a violent act. The girl had agreed to donate her organs. On the very same day, there’s a convict who needs a kidney transplant. Cha argues with Seo that the convict should be given her kidneys. But, Seo loathes the idea. How could her sacrifice give life to such a horrible criminal? The paramedic’s mother listens to their argument. She initially hesitates to donate her daughter’s organs but finally gives in. But, this is such a thought provoking issue. When I went to give my biometric details to get my driving license, the inspector asked me if I’d be willing to donate my organs in case of an accident. I signed up for it but it stirred me. For someone who had just learnt motor cycle, it made me confront my own mortality, and imagine what such an event could mean to my dear ones. Imagine going to a mother who just lost her kid to ask for his/her organs. While it’s easy for anyone to sign up for a donation, the toughest decisions have to be taken by the people who are left behind. I wish the series had dwelled in more detail on this theme, but maybe it’s too much to expect from a commercial series.

  It also portrays the struggles the lead cast have to go through in their personal relationships. Cha never wants to be a doctor, but becomes one to keep her mom happy. She finds it hard to oppose her mom. But, in one of the scenes, she asserts herself against her mother. She takes a moral stand against her mom, in support of Seo. Again, strong content and impeccable execution. 

 All in all, it's a series with brilliant writing, good performances and some medical drama, of course. A highly recommended series

 

P.S: I forgot to mention the most important reason to watch this series. Her Eyes!!