The Tragedy of the "Health Goddess": A Life Overly Pursuing Perfection
The Tragedy of the "Health Goddess": A Life Overly Pursuing PerfectionLin Fang was always the "health goddess" in her circle of friends. She was accustomed to waking up at five in the morning to go for a run, loved to eat bland vegetarian food, and never touched anything greasy or spicy
The Tragedy of the "Health Goddess": A Life Overly Pursuing Perfection
Lin Fang was always the "health goddess" in her circle of friends. She was accustomed to waking up at five in the morning to go for a run, loved to eat bland vegetarian food, and never touched anything greasy or spicy. She believed that health was paramount and lived by this creed, setting a strict, almost demanding, lifestyle for herself.
Lin Fang's daughter, Lin Xiaoran, grew up witnessing her mother's unwavering dedication to health. She remembered her mother always smiling and saying, "Health is the most important thing, you must pay attention to your diet." In the eyes of many, Lin Fang's lifestyle was exemplary.
However, behind this seemingly perfect life, there were layers of anxiety and pressure that Lin Fang was reluctant to reveal.
Just after her 56th birthday, Lin Xiaoran specially ordered a low-sugar cake for her. The two sat in the living room, and Lin Xiaoran said softly, "Mom, you're a year younger again. You're so healthy and long-lived, you'll have to help me take care of my grandchildren."
Lin Fang shook her head with a smile, "I wouldn't say I'm young, but I am healthy. I'm the most active auntie in your friend circle." Before she could finish, their neighbor, Liu Mei, arrived with a gift. "That's for sure! You, Lin Fang, are the most health-conscious amongst all our old friends."
That night, Lin Fang and Liu Mei, as always, chatted about past anecdotes, while Lin Xiaoran busied herself with clearing the table. She would occasionally eavesdrop on their conversation, and she couldn't help but laugh when she heard her mother and Liu Mei talking about childhood stories.
However, this joyful time didn't last long. During a routine checkup, Lin Fang discovered abnormalities in her body. She began to feel something was wrong, but initially dismissed it as just her age.
"Mom, have you been too tired lately? Why are you always so listless?" Lin Xiaoran noticed her mother's pale complexion one morning and couldn't help but ask with concern.
Lin Fang waved her hand, "Nothing, maybe I didn't sleep well last night. Don't worry, I'll take more rest."
But the problem didn't just disappear. Lin Fang's symptoms worsened, she started experiencing persistent abdominal pain and was even unable to bear it at times. Finally, she decided to go to the hospital for further examination.
When Dr. Zhao informed Lin Fang in his office that she had been diagnosed with late-stage pancreatic cancer, Lin Fang felt her mind go blank. She sat frozen in the chair, Dr. Zhao's lips moving, but she couldn't hear what he was saying. The only thing that was clear was the cold, hard words, "pancreatic cancer."
Lin Xiaoran rushed to the hospital and saw her mother sitting on a bench in the corridor, her face paler than usual.
"Mom, what's wrong with you?" Lin Xiaoran asked urgently, her heart pounding.
Lin Fang looked up at her daughter, her eyes filled with helplessness and pain. She whispered, "Xiaoran, I have cancer. The doctor says it's late-stage."
These words struck Lin Xiaoran like a bolt from the blue. She was almost unable to stand, grabbed her mother's hand, her voice trembling, "How could this be? You've always been so healthy!" Her eyes instantly welled up, tears threatening to spill.
Lin Fang's voice was a little hoarse, "I don't know either. I didn't feel anything before this checkup." She tried to force a smile, but it seemed so strained and fragile.
That night, Lin Xiaoran couldn't sleep. She kept replaying the doctor's diagnosis and her mother's health condition in her mind. She couldn't understand how a mother who had always prioritized health could suddenly develop such a serious illness. She was filled with confusion and anxiety.
The next day, Lin Xiaoran told Liu Mei about her mother's condition. Liu Mei was equally shocked and couldn't accept the news. Her voice on the other end of the line sounded particularly heavy, "How could this be? Lin Fang has always been so careful about her health, how could she get this disease?" The Liu Mei on the other end of the line also fell into deep sorrow.
After learning about her mother's illness, Lin Xiaoran began to reflect on her mother's life. Her mother's insistence on a bland diet and a strict lifestyle had been a symbol of health in her mind, but this diagnosis had left her completely lost. To find the cause, Lin Xiaoran started going through her mother's diaries and old belongings at home.
One day, while rummaging through her mother's medicine cabinet, Lin Xiaoran discovered various kinds of health supplements, some of which were almost expired.
"Mom, have you been taking all of these?" Lin Xiaoran asked, somewhat puzzled, holding a few bottles labeled "Boost Immunity."
Lin Fang lay in her hospital bed, looking a little weary, "Yes, these are for good health. Eating more won't hurt." Her tone was a bit helpless, but also contained a hint of persistence.
Lin Xiaoran sighed, "But the doctor said too many health supplements are actually bad for your body. You eat so little normally, how can you handle it?"
"You don't understand," Lin Fang shook her head gently, "People these days don't pay attention to their health. They just want to eat and drink well. I'm just taking precautions."
Lin Xiaoran didn't say anything more, she just silently put these bottles away. Her mind flashed back to the days her mother had spent: the daily morning runs, the insistence on avoiding high-calorie foods, and the unquestionable lifestyle. She suddenly felt that there was a certain kind of pressure behind it all.
To clarify the truth, Lin Xiaoran went back to the hospital with these questions and found Dr. Zhao.
Dr. Zhao looked at her with a solemn expression, "Miss Lin, I understand your current confusion. Your mother's diet and lifestyle were indeed very healthy, but precisely because she pursued this health excessively, it put a burden on her body."
"But my mom was just trying to stay healthy, why did this happen?" Lin Xiaoran couldn't help but ask, her voice tinged with a hint of resentment.
Dr. Zhao sighed and slowly explained, "Your mother has been taking health supplements and dieting for a long time, which has placed her body under constant high pressure. We often emphasize bland diets and exercise, but this is only part of health. Many people overlook the impact of emotions and psychological stress on the body. Your mother may have been malnourished due to excessive dieting, coupled with long-term psychological pressure, and her pancreas couldn't bear it, leading to cancer."
Hearing this, Lin Xiaoran felt even heavier. She nodded silently, but her mind was already thinking about how to take care of her mother from now on.
Back home, Lin Xiaoran talked to Liu Mei about what Dr. Zhao had said. Liu Mei remained silent for a while before slowly saying, "Lin Fang was a perfectionist even when she was young. We used to laugh at her, saying she was so serious about everything, even calculating calories when she ate. She was under a lot of pressure back then, working late every night, always thinking that if she worked harder, she could have a better life."
Lin Xiaoran was somewhat surprised, "Mom was under a lot of work pressure? She never mentioned any of this."
Liu Mei nodded and sighed, "She wouldn't say anything. She thought there was nothing to say, she could handle it on her own. But who knows, over time, she actually dragged herself down."
Lin Xiaoran felt a mix of emotions. She looked at her mother's room and seemed to see that same unyielding strength again. It turned out that behind her mother's so-called healthy life, she had endured so much hidden pressure.
That night, Lin Xiaoran found a diary in her mother's room, recording her mother's years of dedication to health and her inner anxieties. One sentence in the diary made a deep impression on Lin Xiaoran: "I can't fall, I'm the pillar of the family."
Lin Xiaoran closed the diary, her eyes turning red. She finally understood that her mother's outward health was just a mask to conceal her inner anxieties and pressure. This mask had made her mother live so cautiously, until finally she couldn't bear it anymore.
On the last page of the diary, Lin Fang wrote: "I must persevere. I can't let Xiaoran see my weakness. I must be a strong mother, I can't fall."
When she read this sentence, Lin Xiaoran's tears finally burst forth. For her family, her mother had chosen to sacrifice her own health and silently bear everything. At this moment, she realized that her mother's so-called healthy life was just a mask she used to conceal her inner fears.
A few days later, Lin Fang passed away peacefully in the hospital. Lin Xiaoran sat by her mother's bed, holding her cold hand, tears silently streaming down
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