Total pages in book: 143
Estimated words: 130275 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 651(@200wpm)___ 521(@250wpm)___ 434(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 130275 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 651(@200wpm)___ 521(@250wpm)___ 434(@300wpm)
Fatima turned to face us all. “The Taj Mahal has become one of the seven wonders of the world. Yes, because of its stunning architecture, but also because in life, we will all experience loss. And we will all honor our loved ones in some personal way.” Fatima smiled. “The Taj Mahal is a place where beauty meets death. Where loss meets eternity. Where grief meets honor. It is truly a wonder to behold.”
As we toured the famous building, Fatima told us of the domes, the history of how it was built. “White marble was specifically used so that the light changes the hue of the tomb throughout the day. Sunrise brings a visual symphony of oranges and reds; evening creates a masterpiece of the blue and silver of the moon. All the world’s natural beauty encapsulated in one single day.
“If you’ll follow me,” Fatima said and guided us to the inside of the tomb. The decoration, the detail, the wealth that had been poured into this building were flawless. Next came the gardens. Water features and plush greenery made a garden of Eden from the landscape. All I thought as I passed through every inch of this vast memorial, was how much Shah Jahan must have loved his wife. Like our paintings in Goa, this was a tangible representation of what she had meant to him. He made the woman he adored known to the entire world.
The power of his love had done that. It was almost too much to comprehend.
We walked around this living testament to soulmates in awe, necks aching from how much there was to see. And all the time Cael held my hand. The boy I loved held me close as we toured a building where every morsel of marble and stone was pulsing with love. A feeling of contentment settled over me.
After walking for hours, we then watched the day fade to night and the Taj Mahal absorb the blue-silver hue of the moon.
It wasn’t lost on me that it was the exact color of Cael’s eyes.
Back at the hotel, at dinner that night, Mia said, “We brought you here—a quick pitstop on our trip to our next destination—to talk about honoring those who have died.” She gave an encouraging smile. “A huge part of coping with loss is to try to find positives, though they feel few and far between. But placing your energy into remembering the person or people we lost fondly is healthy—it’s progress. Lots of religions and cultures have ceremonies and festivals where they do this. But it’s important to honor your loved ones personally too. In your own way.”
“Does anyone want to touch on how they’ve honored, or maybe plan to honor, their loved ones?” Leo asked.
We were dining on local curry dishes and naan and rice, made with spices I’d never tasted before. This wasn’t like our typical sessions. This was relaxed and comforting, a group of friends sharing a meal and feelings.
“We sit shiva,” Lili said. She placed down her food. “It’s a Jewish tradition where immediate family of the deceased sit for seven days after the person or people they lost have been buried. It is a time to try to face the initial loss, then remember them fondly, and accept the death.” Lili smiled. “It did help me. I sat with my grandparents and aunts and uncles. They held me up when I was falling.”
“That’s beautiful,” Mia said.
“We have el Día de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead in English,” Jade said. “I’m Mexican, and this is one of our main traditions. It’s a joyful celebration of those we have lost. We remember them fondly and celebrate the life they lived. It’s meant to be uplifting. And it is. It helps take the ache of grief and turn it into a celebration of the lives of the people we loved most. It’s one of my favorite holidays.”
“I’d love to see that one day,” Lili said and embraced Jade in a hug. They were fast becoming best friends, and I hoped they held on to one another even after this trip was done. I was quickly realizing that having people to talk to, people who had traveled the same rocky road of grief as me, was immeasurable. They just understood. You didn’t need to explain that a part of your soul was missing, because theirs was too.
“I headed up a fundraiser to place a memorial plaque in our town,” Travis said. “A place where my friends and classmates will always be remembered. A place where we, who have lost them, can go and just feel them around us again.”
“That was beautiful,” Leo said.
I felt my heart beat faster. I was still not great with sharing, but I said, “I’m going to Harvard. Pre-med.” Cael looked over at me and I could see the interest in his face. “My sister, Poppy. She died of Hodgkin lymphoma. She was seventeen. My dream is to become a pediatric oncologist.” I met Cael’s eyes when I said, “I want to help children just like her. I want to honor her memory by helping beat or treat this disease in whatever way I can.” I swallowed a lump in my throat. “Or even just help those who can’t be saved pass pain-free and in the most dignified way possible.”