Adversity pushes the limits of our body, mind, and soul-we ourselves.
In Triple Negative: A tale of love, faith, and surrender, Aarti Pathak shares a deeply personal and painful chapter of her life. She had just lost her mother when she received her cancer diagnosis. One can only imagine the depth of her anguish.
The book is written in real-time, so we experience the flow of emotions as they rise, fall and transform. At times, she questions if she is fighting strongly enough, while at others, if fighting was even worth it. Through this narration of her emotional journey, we realise how family, friends and faith can serve as steadying forces through turbulent times. The experience shared is unique, but the emotions Aarti explores-grief, pain, hope, faith, and love-are profoundly universal.
Having worked with mental health extensively for the past many years, I know that no one is untouched by pain. Only everyone conceals it differently. Everyone copes differently.
I always feel that everyone's life path is unique, and so is their road to healing. Aarti's story reaffirms that age-old anchors-love, family, and faith-form the strongest scaffolding for one's emotional resilience.
The book is a fine example of raw, honest storytelling. While parts of her journey are heartbreaking, her story is uplifting and life-affirming. Triple Negative reminds us that while life may not always go as planned, it is in surrendering to its flow that we find our greatest power. I hope her words touch your heart as deeply as they touched mine.
Mal Ty close friend Archana herself a cancer survivor-called me one day at the start of chemotherapy. As I shared my thoughts and feelings with her, she paused and said, "Aarti, what you say can help people deal with difficult times and reduce their suffering. Why don't you write about your experience? Who knows how many people it will help." Her words stayed with me, planting the seed for this book.
I kept notes and reflections throughout the cancer treatment to maintain my sanity. After the treatment was over, those notes naturally evolved into this book.
Journaling helped me process my treatment and provided detailed notes for Triple Negative, but returning to them was painful and remains so even today. The book, written in real-time, shows my growth and evolution.
Except for Bhavana, Mona, and Jasmine (who is actually two people), all the names are real. Might I add, everyone insisted I use their real names, without even reading the sections on them. I thank them for their trust and faith.
To keep my story authentic, I have used Indian words like puja and sabzi and italicised all of them. Their meanings, explained in simple words, can be found in the glossary at the end of the book. Asana, pranayama, garba, and yoga, which are global words now, have not been italicised.
From 2021 to 2023, I realised we can find strength when we least expect it, and the most difficult trials can lead to growth. I saw that love strengthens, faith uplifts, and surrender liberates.
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