Every fortnight, our home is revitalised by the unique services of Mary – a Sri Lankan woman who arrived in Cyprus looking for work. A humble and quaint individual, Mary perseveres through her chores, spreading her magical touch throughout the house.
Over
the years, Mary has become a member of our family unit, caring for our home as
if it were her own, tending to our tailored-needs, and contributing in her own
unique way for almost everything else.
Mary
has always entered our home with a glowing smile, projecting a beam of
happiness; but beneath her upbeat exterior, there’s a heart-warming story of
one woman’s struggle to recreate a home for her family after the devastating
tsunami of 2004 swallowed all of her material possessions, including her humble
beachside cottage.
When
Mary arrived in Cyprus in 2005, she was a penniless farm girl who answered a
classified advert for an “optimistic work future abroad.” Having appreciated the joy of her new-born
child for a mere four months, Mary boarded an aeroplane for Cyprus, knowing
that the sooner she embarked on her own rebirth process, the quicker she could
return home and provide all the necessities her family had once known.
After
eight years on the island of Cyprus, Mary has announced her intentions to
return to her home in Sri Lanka, and to finally reunite with her husband and children
after a tiresome, yet rewarding gap.
She
continues to smile as she enters our home through the front door; her elevated
energy levels are evident as she chants an optimistic tune while going about
her work. Her husband, an experienced
and hardworking carpenter, has established a new home for her, purchased a
second-hand vehicle, and built Mary a small business to further her talent in
dress-making.
When
we visited London in January, we stopped off at the Odeon on Shaftesbury
Avenue, and watched the movie The
Impossible. This outstanding drama is
based on one family’s journey of hope and survival, following the aftermath of
the tsunami in Thailand. After a
gripping two hours of suspense and emotional rollercoaster rides, I was
determined to return to Cyprus and ask Mary to describe her experiences of that
horrific day.
As
Mary transported us back to that fateful morning, I could sense a small element
of horror when she referred to the “distant noise” hurriedly becoming a “roar.”
“The
only thing that went through my mind was my children.”
After
our deep and powerful discussion, Mary’s account of the tsunami proved to me
that whatever I considered “impossible,” was due to fear, obstructing my thoughts. Fear was continuously blocking my mind from
my own determination and willingness to achieve the “impossible.”
Mary’s
perseverance reassured me that with sacrifice comes an epoch of contentment. I was in the presence of a dynamic woman who
had sectioned off eight years of her life to ensure her family’s survival.
And
all I had to do was isolate myself from overindulging for one year to ensure my
own survival; challenging yes, but hardly impossible.
Weight
for me tomorrow. Paul
Paul Lambis is the author of “Where is Home?” – A journey of hilarious contrasts. For more information on Paul Lambis, and to order his book online,
visit www.paul-lambis.com
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