The Grief, by Anton Chekhov

  The Grief (or Misery)

[Anton Chekhov : The Writer]

Short Summary :

The story Misery is written by Anton Chekhov, a very famous Russian story writer. This story is also known popularly as The Grief.  Some people also call it 'To Whom Shall I Tell My Grief'. It is all about people's insensitivity of towards others pain and anguish.

The greatest distress (pain) for any old person is the death of his/ her young son. The same grief fell upon the luck of poor Iona, the central character of this story. 

Iona was an old, weak cab driver. His young son Barin had passed away from the world, leaving him all alone . The death of his son had left his heart torn into pieces. 

It is a common psychology that every human being wants to share his/ her grief with others. This sharing lightens the grief and relieves one's heart up to some extent. 

But as Iona was all alone in the world, he had not been able to share his grief with others. He had not been able tell anybody that his only son Barin was no more in the world , he had passed away. There was nobody who would listen to his griefs. So the death of his son always occupied his thought.

One snowy twilight, he was waiting for passenger sitting in his cab. He was sitting motionlessly like a stone, thinking about his son. Suddenly an officer came to Iona , and asked if he would go to the Vibrog Way. Iona was ready. He pulled the reins of his horse and the officer sat in the cab. They moved. 

The company of the man abated (made less) Iona's grief up to some extent. He wanted to talk to the man and to tell his grief to him. Iona opened the topic. But his passenger didn't prove to be a sympathetic listener. he didn't take any interest in what Iona told him. He was rather interested to his destination as soon as possible. Finally they reached to the Viborg way. The officer stepped down and Iona was left alone with his grief. Again he sat motionlessly waiting for another fare (passenger).

After about two hours three young men came to him. They wanted to go the Police Bridge. Their behaviour was very uncivilized. At first they quarreled among themselves on the topic who two would sit and who would stand in the cab. After it was decided, they started to talk about wine and girls. 

Their behaviour towards Iona was also very rude. They abused and cut jokes with him. 

Their company reduced Iona's pain up to some extent. He wanted to talk with them about his son's death. He opened the topic , but the boys roughly silenced him. They had no interest in the old man. They scolded him for slow driving. After sometime they reached to the Police Bridge, and the boys left his cab.

Now Iona was again left alone with grief. At last he returned to the stable (building used for keeping horses).There all the other cab-drivers were sleeping peacefully. At first he felt jealous of them , because all of them were sleeping , and sleep was not coming to him because of his troubled mind and heart. 

Then a young cab driver half awoke from sleep and needed some water to drink. Iona provided him water and tried to talk to him. But before Iona could finish his first sentence, the young cab driver was fast asleep again.

At last the grief became unbearable for him. He needed somebody to whom he could tell about the sad event of his son's death. But in this big world no-body had time or interest in him or in his grief. 

Finally when he could not tolerate his grief, he went to his horse, and opened his heart to it. He told every detail to the horse. The horse munched (chew grass audibly) and breathed over its master's hand, as if it listened to its master's story patiently, and  sympathized with him. 

In this way in end  we find that the horse proved to be better than a human being with whom Iona shared his grief and lightened his heart.

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Summary in Detail :

1. Iona's Grief : In Brief : (What was Iona's grief ?)

Iona was an old cab-driver. He used to drive cab to earn his bread, but he was too old to earn his bread enough. 

His young son Barin had suddenly passed away from the world after a three day high fever in a hospital. Old Iona had remained all alone in the world after his son's death.

The death of his son had overwhelmed the old man. It was perhaps a week or so that his son had left him, but still he had not been able to share his grief with anybody. He was desperately trying to find out a sympathetic person who could his share his grief.

One day in a snowy twilight Iona was waiting with his cab for passengers. The snow was slowly covering the whole the whole city. It seemed as the whole city was covered with a white bed-sheet. 

Old Iona and his weak horse were also covered with white snow, He was sitting cold and still in his cab and his horse was also standing motionlessly as if it was also plunged into deep thought. Both were waiting there for a long time for a fare (passenger).

2. Iona's First Fare  : 

Quite in the evening an officer in a great coat approached him and asked if he (Iona) would go to Vibrog Way. Iona nodded and picked up the reins and the officer sat in the cab. The horse moved forward.

It is common human nature/ psychology that every one wants to share his/her griefs and sorrows with others. This sharing of griefs lightens heart. Iona was also a human being. He also wanted to share his grief with others. So far he was carrying his grief all alone , and this had made his heart crushed. 

Now Iona thought to share his grief with his passenger. He thought to tell his fare (passenger) all about son's death. This would lighten his heart. 

He started to tell him about his son's death. He told that his son had died that week. He had a high fever and was hospitalized, and after three days he the world for ever. 

But the officer didn't have any interest in what Iona told. He was rather in hurry to reach to his destination. So in a very rough tone he asked Iona to drive his cab fast. He drove fast, and after some time they reached at Vibrog Way.

After dropping the officer at his destination, Iona again remained motionless, overwhelmed with with his grief and waiting for another fare. In this way Iona's grief remained in his heart. He could not share it.  

3. Iona's Next Passengers :

After for about two hours, three young men came to him. Two of them were tall and lanky (tall and thin), and the third one was humpbacked. They wanted to go to the Police Bridge. The three young uncivilized, and were rough in their behaviour. 

They wrangled, abused and jostled each other. They were using bad language. Only two of them could sit in the cab, and one had to stand. So they quarreled about who two would sit and who would stand. Finally it was decided that the hump-backed boy would stand, because he was the smallest.

[An example of a hump-backed person]

Their behaviour towards Iona was also very rough. They called him old pest, old serpent and used other unpleasant languages for him. But Iona didn't mind their behaviour just because they were of his son's age. 

He tried to talk to them. He wanted to tell them about the death of his son. He opened the topic, but the humpbacked boy made him silent by roughly saying that every body must die someday. Through out the way they were talking about wine and girls. Finally they arrived at the Police Bridge. 

In this way Iona could not express his grief this time also. After the three boys were gone, his heart was piercing with intense grief. He just needed one person to share his grief. He extremely wanted to talk with somebody. But in the whole world no-body had time or interest to listen to him, or share his grief sympathetically. 

Just then he saw a hall porter and he thought to talk to him. Just to have a beginning, Iona asked him time. The hall porter told him the time and  ordered him to move on. He didn't show any interest in Iona. At last Iona decided to go back to the stable.

4. Iona in the Stable :

After about an hour and half, Iona was in the stable. All the other cab drivers were sleeping and snoring there peacefully. For a moment he regretted for having returned there so early. He also regretted for the fact that he had not been able to earn his bread and his horse's fodder. 

Suddenly he noticed a young cab driver getting half awake and asking for water. Iona gave him water, and wanted to talk to him (about his son's death). But before Iona could finish his first sentence, the man had fallen asleep. Iona was disappointed again. 

It had been almost a week that his son had died. But he had not been able to talk about it properly with anybody. He had a lot to talk about. He wanted to talk in a detail every point about his son, how he fell ill, what did he say, every detail of the funeral and all the other aspects. But here no-body had time or interest enough to talk to him. He was very very disappointed.

5. Iona Tells his Grief to his Horse :

Finally he went to his horse. There he opened his heart to it. He told the horse his whole story from the beginning to the end. He felt as if the slab of grief was removed from his heart. 

The horse also munched slowly and breathed over Iona's hand, as if it listened and sympathized with its master.  

Thus the horse proved to be a better friend with whom Iona shared his grief.

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Unit Analysis

Unit 1.

Gist: This is a sad and heart touching story of an old man who is much grieved (very very sad) due to the death of his only son. It is very natural that if a person is happy, the whole nature seems to smile, and  if he/she is sad, the whole world and nature seems to be sad and gloomy. 

Here the old man Iona is quite sad at the death of his only son. So the entire world and nature seems to be quite gloomy to him. In this first unit the writer has presented the setting of a gloomy (dark and depressing) evening which is well suited to the grief and mental state of Iona.

It was a gloomy snowy evening. A thick snow was slowly twirling and falling on the roofs of the houses, horses' backs, people's shoulders and hats and on every thing else. The whole town was covered with a milk-white bedsheet 

The white lights of the lamps were replacing brighter rays. Gradually the uproar of the town was increasing. Every body was hurrying to return back to his/ her house. In this situation old Iona was sitting on his cab with his painful heart, waiting for some passenger to come. He and his horse were also covered with white snow and looked like a phantom (ghost). But he didn't even think it necessary to throw off the snow.

The first sentence of this unit is much striking. It shows the inner pain of a helpless man who wants to share his grief with others and to lighten his heart. Suddenly somebody comes to Iona who wanted to go to Viborg Way. He was the first passenger of Iona. 

Comprehension Questions and Their Answers :

Question 1. Who is the old man looking for ?

Answer : The old man is looking for a passenger.

Question 2 : What did he do for a living ?

Answer : He used to run a cab to make a living.

Question 3 : 'He is bent double as far as human body can bend double.' What does this statement imply ?

Answer : Iona was old and weak. He could not sit straight. Due to this he had bent too much.

Question 4 : What similarities are there between Iona and his horse ?

Answer : There are many similarities between the two. Both are old and weak. Both are covered by snow and are motionless. Both seem to be plunged into deep thought quite unaffected by the surrounding.

Unit 2.

Gist : In this unit we find Iona taking his first passenger to the Viborg Way. On the way he tried several times to share his grief with the passenger. But the passenger was not in a mood to listen to what Iona wanted to tell. 

The moment the passenger approached him, Iona became ready at once with the reins in his hands. The fare (passenger) sat in the cab and, and they moved forward. 

Iona was overwhelmed with grief. His mind was not concentrated, so sometimes his cab was going out of track out of side. the passenger scolded him several times for this. 

Iona had a restless heart. The death of his son had overburdened him. He thought to tell his grief to his fare. He opened the topic, but the fare didn't take any interest in it. Soon after a moment, Iona discovered that the man had closed his eyes ignoring what he was saying. 

After sometime they reached at the Viborg Way. The passenger left Iona's cab, and he was once more left alone surrounded by his grief. He waited there for another fare. About two hours later, three young boys came to him who wanted to go to the Police Bridge. 

Comprehension Questions and Their Answers :

Question 1 : Who is Iona's first passenger and where does he want to go ?

Answer : His first passenger is an officer and he wants to go to Viborg way.

Question 2 : What does the cab driver do to encourage his horse ?

Answer : He smacks to encourage his horse. 

Question 3 : Why does the officer shout at Iona ?

Answer : Iona has a troubled and restless heart due to the death of his son. while driving the cab, suddenly he takes the wrong side. So the officer shouts at him and asks him to take the right side.

Question 4 : What does Iona want to tell the officer ?

Answer : He wants to tell the officer all about his son's death in detail.

Question 5 : What was the name of Iona's son ?

Answer : The name of Iona's son was Barin.

Question 6 : What did Barin die of ?

Answer : He died of high fever. 

Question 7 : What does Iona do after dropping the officer at his destination ?

Answer : After dropping the officer at  his destination, Iona again sits motionless waiting for another passenger.

Unit 3 

Gist : This unit presents Iona taking his next passengers to the Police Bridge. After about two hours the officer had gone, three young men came to him. They wanted to go to the Police Bridge. Two of them were tall and lanky and the third one was short and hump-backed. These three young men were very rude and misbehaved.

At first they all got on the cab and tried to get on the seat at once. Then they started to quarrel who would sit and who would stand. There was not enough room for three people in that cab. Only two could sit and one had to stand. After a long discussion it was settled that the lanky boys would sit and the hump-backed would stand.

Then they started to jeer at (to say something in a rude or insulting way). Iona for his old cab. Then they started to talk about wine and girls. They were talking and laughing in an uncivilized way 

On the other hand their company gave him some relief. He tried to talk with the boys. He thought to tell them about his son's death. But the hump-backed silenced him rudely by saying that every body must die some day. They misbehaved with him. They abused him for his slow driving. They even didn't care for the age of the old man. But Iona did not mind them.

One of the lanky boys asked Iona in an insulting manner if he was married. He laughed at the question and said that now his grave was his wife. He again started to tell them about his son's death. But by that time they had reached at the Police Bridge. 

The three young men got down of his cab, and he was again left alone surrounded by the grief of his son's death and silence.

Comprehension Questions and Their Answers :

Question 1 : Where do Iona's next passengers want to go ?

Answer : They wanted to go to the Police Bridge. 

Question 2 : How many passengers can sit in Iona's cab at a time ?

Answer : Two passengers can sit in Iona's cab at a time.

Question 3 : Does a louse cough ?

Answer : No, a louse can ever cough. 

Question 4 : Why did Iona forget his loneliness with these young men ?

Answer : Three young men were quite talkative. Through out the way they talked, joked and laughed. They were jolly and cheerful and this made Iona forget his loneliness with the young men.

Question 5 : Why does Iona hear rather than feel the young man's blows ?

Answer : "Blow" means a hard stroke given to somebody. But here nobody had actually beaten Iona. The young men had used a rough language for him. The words used for him were as hard as a blow. So, there is no question of feeling the blow, and he could only hear them. 

Question 6 : Why did Iona bless the young men ?

Answer : They were of his son's age. While among them, he remembered his son. So he blessed them even though they misbehaved with him.

Question 7 : Why did Iona think that death had gone to the wrong door ? (Important)

Answer : Iona was old and his son Barin was young. It was not Barin's age to die. But death had taken him away instead of Iona. So Iona thinks that death had gone to the wrong door.

Unit 4

Gist : This short unit reveals the intense pain of Iona. He had forgotten his pain temporarily in the company of the young men. But it returned back to him with a double force the moment he became alone. He was badly in the search of just one person to whom he could tell his grief and lighten his heart. 

But nobody in this busy world has time enough to share other's grief. Iona was alone to bear his immense, illimitable grief. He wished his heart would break and the grief poured out.

Suddenly he saw a hall porter and thought to speak to him. To open the topic, he asked the porter what time it was. The porter told him the time and went from there leaving him alone again. He saw no hope of sharing his grief with any body. At last he decided to return back to the stable

Comprehension Questions and Their Answers :

Question 1 : Why does Iona's grief hurt him wile he is alone ?

Answer : When Iona is alone, his mind is more concerned upon the matter. So his grief hurts him more in his loneliness.

Question 2 : Does the hall porter give Iona a chance to tell his story ?

Answer : Iona is simply in search of a man to whom he can tell his grief. He sees a hall porter and decides to speak to him. But the porter doesn't give him a chance to tell his story.

Question 3 : Why does Iona find it useless talking to people ?

Answer : Every time Iona is disappointed, he approaches some body to talk, and tell about his (son's) story. At last he realizes that people are heartless and have no interest in others. So at last, he finds it useless talking to people.

Question 4 :  Where does Iona decide to go next ?

Answer : Finally, he decides to go to the stable next.

Unit 5

Gist: In this unit we find Iona in the stable, but still in search of somebody with whom he could share his grief. When he returned back to the stable, he found all the other cab drivers sleeping peacefully. At first he regretted at returning to the stable so early. He had not been able to earn enough for himself and for the horse. He also felt jealous of the cab drivers who were sleeping fast. 

Then Iona found a young cab-driver who got half awake, asking for water. Iona immediately gave him some water and started to tell him about Barin's death. But before he could finish his first sentence, the cab driver was fast asleep . 

Again, Iona was helpless. Soon it would be a week since his son had died, and he had not been able to speak about it properly to any one. His son's death had crushed his heart and he had not been able to share his grief with anybody. Sharing of grief is very necessary, otherwise it pierces one's heart into pieces. Sharing of grief makes one's heart light. 

Iona's restlessness grew. He longed (had a strong wish) to tell his grief to somebody, but nobody had time or interest enough to listen to him.

Comprehension Questions and Their Answers :

Question 1 : Why did Iona offer a drink to another cab driver ?

Answer : Iona found the man thirsty. He thought he would get a chance to tell his story to the man by giving him water. So he offered a drink to the cabdriver. 

Question 2 : Did the cab driver listen to his story ?

Answer : No, the cab driver didn't listen to his story. He fell asleep before Iona could finish his first sentence.

Question 3 : Why does Iona consider women to be stupid ?

Answer : Women are more emotional. They are easily moved by affairs. So he considers them to be stupid.

Unit 6

This is the last unit of this story. Although it short, it is the one which really touches one's heart. In this unit we find Iona going to his horse, and telling it the whole story of his son's death. 

After several attempts when he was unable to tell his son's story, his pain became unbearable for him. When he became disappointed from everybody, he decided to tell his grief to his horse. He went to his horse. He told the whole story to it slowly, and thus finally he could lighten his heart. 

The horse munched and listened to all that Iona said, and breathed over his hand as if it expressed its sympathy to its master. 

Thus we find that people, particularly in the big cities, are not friendly and kind. They don't have enough time or interest in other people. The result is that distressed people like Iona don't get even a single chance to share their griefs with others.

Comprehension Questions and Their Answers :

Question 1 : Who does Iona talk to in the end ?

Answer : Iona talks to his horse in the end.

Question 2 : What does Iona say to his horse ?

Answer : Iona tells his horse the complete story of his son's death.

Question 3 : Why did Iona tell the complete story to his horse ?

Answer : His son's death was a great matter of distress to Iona. Sharing of grief makes heart light, otherwise one might go mad. So it was necessary for Iona also to tell his grief to somebody. He tried to tell it to many people, on several occasions, but nobody listened to him. So, at last he told the complete story to his horse.

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Some Questions Answers

Question 1 : Describe the setting of the evening .

Answer : The story presents the deep seated grief of Iona. His son had left him all alone in the world. Iona was not even able to share his grief with others. The description of the evening is well-suited as the background of Iona's grief.

It was a gloomy evening. It was twilight and snow was falling slowly on the roofs of the houses, horse's back, people's shoulders, and hats and everything else below. 

The whole town was covered by evening mist. It seemed that the whole town was covered with a milk white bed-sheet. The noise and the uproar of the city was increasing and everybody was hurrying to return back to his house.

In this situation Ions was sitting grieving over his pain. Thus the setting of the evening quite reflects the grief of Iona.

Question 2 : Describe the behaviour of the three young men in the story.

Answer : The three young men whom Iona carried up to the Police Bridge were most indecent, ill-mannered, inhuman and rude. At first they quarreled and abused each other on the question of getting a seat. They were discussing things like wine, girls etc.

They not only quarreled among themselves, but they misbehaved with Iona also. They scolded and rebuked Iona for slow driving. They didn't hesitate to insult him calling him an old pest, old serpent and doggie. They didn't feel that old Iona was of their father's age.  

The young man with a hump on his back used a very biting and unsympathetic language for him. When Iona told them about his son's death, the hump-backed silenced him by saying that in this world every one has to die one day. 

Thus we see that the three young men were very rough and rude in their manner.

Question 3 : Describe every little detail of Iona's grief. 

Answer :  Iona was an old cab driver. His only son Barin had died a week before. Barin had suffered from high fever and was admitted in a hospital where he died. He left Iona to live all alone in the world. It is a great grief for a father to witness the death of his son. 

Naturally, Iona too, was overwhelmed by grief at his son's death. He was desperately trying to find out a sympathetic person who would share his grief. He was eager to tell every detail of his son's death. 

He even tried to talk about it to his passengers, but every time he was disappointed. In this world no body has time or interest enough to think for others. 

Finally Iona told his story to his horse, and thus his troubled, burdened heart got a little relief.

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Essay Type Questions

Question 1 : One must talk about a painful event to someone. Describe how Iona tries to talk about his pain to others.

Answer : Man is a social animal. He lives in society sharing joys and sorrows. If sharing joys doubles them, sharing sorrows lightens the heart. On the contrary, if some body does not get a chance to share his/her pains and sorrows, they break their hearts into pieces. This is why one must talk of a painful event to someone.

The same thing happens with Iona. Poor and old Iona was an old, poor cab driver. His only son fell ill and was admitted to a hospital. There he died after a high fever. Iona was overwhelmed by the sad event. Now it was about a week since he had not been able to tell about it properly to any  body. He wanted to tell and describe every detail of his son's death, from his being admitted to the hospital to the funeral. 

That day he was much more troubled . He desperately wanted somebody to talk to. He tried to talk to his passengers, but either they didn't have any interest in listening to him, or they insulted and laughed at him. He tried even to talk to the city hall porter, and the young cab driver in the stable. But all was in vain. 

Finally when his grief grew immense and intolerable for him, he thought to talk to his horse. He went to it, and told it the entire story . The horse munched and and listened to him sympathetically. After telling his grief to the horse, Iona felt relieved as if the burden was removed from his heart.

Question 2 : People are not very friendly and kind in big cities. State your views on the subject.

Answer : The marked difference between a village and a town is that the village people are more sympathetic, humane kind and friendly. But city people are not so. They are very indifferent to others. Most of the time they even do not know each other, although they have been living in the same neighbourhood for years. Neighbours are strangers to them. 

There are many causes behind this unfriendly, indifferent behaviour of the city people. The first cause is economic cause. In cities, life has become expensive. There people feel it very almost difficult to make the both ends meets. They pressure of life is unbearable to most of the people. 

They are overburdened with extra works. If they do not earn enough money, they may not be able to pay for their rents, food, providing children a good education. They have to save some money for future needs. All such things have made city people more calculating and selfish. 

Another reason is the complicated life style in big cities. City life is not as simple as village life. In the cities, people are surrounded by many worries and anxieties. The moment they solve one problem, another comes before them. City life is the life of hurry and worry, and nobody has spare time to listen to the worries or miseries of the others. 

The next reason might be that some cheats might have several times deceived others by false stories. So now people have started thinking even the needy to be a cheat. 

At the same time we should not generalized all the city people. Some have done many good things for the welfare of their fellow-beings. They have opened schools, hospitals, and charity homes. 

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Composition

Question : Write certain paragraphs about "What volunteers can do for homeless old people in the city hospitals ?" .

Answer : In the modern age  of growing inhumanity and indifference, the tradition of joint family is gradually becoming less. At the same time, due to the different political causes many people are forced to leave their homes or home cities, and pass their lives as refugees in other cities (or, countries).

Due to such and many other causes, many people are being forced to be homeless. 

Till these homeless people are young, they earn their bread either as labourers or as beggars. But as the old age creeps, these people become quite miserable, and particularly when they fall ill, they pass their lives helplessly in some city hospital or by the corners of streets. It is here that volunteers can render their services.

They can prove their services by different ways. They can get them (homeless old people) medicines, buy things to them, write letters for them if they wish. They can also arrange for blood or other necessary medical services. Sometimes they can pass their nights with the old people. 

The most urgent need for old people is the need of a companionship. They want someone to talk to. They  need sympathetic and patient listeners with whom they can share their worries and griefs. So the greatest service the volunteers can do to these people is that they become the truest friend and sympathetic listeners to the old people. 

Sympathetic listening has two distinct advantages. It reduces the burden of grief and enriches the understanding of the listeners. They would learn many valuable things from the lifetime experiences of of the old people.

Another thing that the young volunteers can do is to run an 'old home scheme'. The city hospitals will /can never allow the old people there for always.  After treatment is over, such old  people have come out of the hospitals. Such people can be brought to the 'old homes' where they can pass their lives comfortably with other companions. Thus there are many areas where the volunteers can help the old homeless people.

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Letter Writing 

Write a letter to the Director of the Social Welfare Department in your city urging him to open a 'listening service' for people suffering from depression and sadness. Explain to him/her the benefits that such a service can provide to the affected people.

Answer :

Allahabad

5th June, 2022

To

The Director

Social Welfare Department

Allahabad

Dear sir,

Most respectfully I want to draw your attention towards a growing problem of our city. It is the problem of those persons (of our society) who are suffering from depression and sadness. 

In the modern world of worries and anxieties, many people find themselves unable to cope with the modern speed of world, and the result is that they become harassed and disappointed from their lives. They start thinking they are only burdens upon the world. Depression almost takes away  their energy as well a hope for a better life. Mostly unemployed young ones and the old people fall in this category. 

Another serious aspect of this problem is these people get no one to share with their worries and griefs. No one is ready to listen to them. Either people are very busy and have no time to listen to  the depressed people, or some are so unkind and indifferent that they don't feel the need of coming to such people. 

Now, I want to request you to open a listening service for such people. A team of volunteers could be formed for this purpose. They should be given some sort of training. Such trained volunteers would talk to the depressed people with interest and sympathy. They should also try go to the depth of such disappointed people and if possible should try to solve some little problems also.

Sometimes a monthly  meeting of such depressed people could also be arranged, so that they could mutually exchange their feelings and experiences. This practice would prove to be a miraculous cure for them. Their lost confidence would again return back. 

I hope you would be considerate enough to pay attention to my suggestion.

Thanking you

Sincerely yours 

Kanchan Sharma

-----------------------------------------------(Your comments and feedbacks are most desirable)

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