I was a bit early. It was 7:25 a.m. and work would start at 8:30 a.m. Thus I decided to enjoy the gentle warmth of the sun. I took a walk.

People who passed me by offered me smiles and hearty hellos. Oh, you could never understand how simple greeting of a stranger could lighten up your day. You simply could not help but smile as if the sun has suddenly risen on your face; you simply glow.

But this seventh of September was different.

The upward curl of my lips could not disguise the hollowness of my breath, nor the tears glistening in my eyes. I felt warm all over and I found it quite hard to breathe. I never liked starting my day this way, but there was no choice to make. Things just