Without pathos or melodrama, talks of how a cancer diagnosis can be devastating, bringing with it fear, shock, anger, disbelief and panic.
A step-by-step guide, premised on belief in mind-body healing, Anup emphasises the effect (positive and negative) of one’s mental outlook. Spirituality had a major role in the solutions he found, particularly Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism that showed him how the desire to overcome problems is the greatest incentive to overall progress. He also tried meditation, yoga and reiki. "Buckling in a crisis, we seek outside help," he says. "Very rarely do we resolve this through the mind-body continuum. It all begins from within. A positive attitude must begin from the day of the diagnosis."
There is a wealth of useful information—lists of associations, websites, a section on dos and don’ts, myths and misconceptions and the largely uncharted area of life after cancer.
The title seems a bit weird till you comprehend the message—articulated beautifully in the quote from Kahlil Gibran that speaks of joy being sorrow unmasked and "the selfsame well from which your laughter rises was oftentimes filled with your tears". This isn’t just a story about defeating disease. Anup believes he is a different person, has a dynamic sense of well-being, finds pleasure in almost everything. And he attributes all this to cancer.