Beginning Again At 55
At 55, Semiya Devi believed her world had already grown smaller. A simple cataract surgery helped her see clearly again—and reminded her that independence, dignity, and purpose can return at any age.
A Morning That Feels Like Hers Again
The morning after her surgery, Semiya Devi stepped into her courtyard without hesitation.
For the first time in many months. I did not have to pause and guess where my feet would land. The stairs were clear. The light was steady. The world felt reliable again, she says softly.
At 55, she had her sight back—and with it, her confidence.
She swept the stairs, prepared her meals, and walked through her yard just as she always had.
These were small acts, ordinary to anyone else, but to Semiya they felt like a quiet victory.
I did not realise how much fear had entered my days. Only when it left did I understand what I had lost, she admits.
A Life Held Together by Routine
After her husband passed away, Semiya’s life grew quieter, but never empty. Her mornings still began before sunrise—a rhythm she had shared with him for years.
Waking early was our habit. When he was gone, I kept it. It made me feel less alone, she says.
Her daughters were married, busy with homes of their own. Neighbours came by when they could. Grandchildren visited during festivals and holidays.
Most days, however, the house echoed only with her footsteps.
Her routines became her anchor.
They gave shape to my day. As long as I could do my work, I felt I was still standing on my own feet, she explains.
When Familiar Things Become Uncertain
The cataract crept in slowly. At first, Semiya dismissed it as tiredness. Then objects began to blur. The stairs she had climbed for decades felt unpredictable.
Her knife slipped while cutting vegetables. Shadows appeared where none had existed before.
I was afraid to admit it. If my eyes failed me, what would I have left?
Her confidence weakened before her vision completely did.
Each task required more care. Each movement carried doubt.
It felt as though someone had loosened the ground beneath me. I was still moving, but without trust, she recalls.
A Camp That Changed the Course
It was during this uncertainty that Semiya heard about the free eye care camp organised by Akhand Jyoti in her village. She noticed the announcements, and her daughters urged her to go.
Reluctantly, she agreed.
The screening confirmed cataract, and she was referred to Akhand Jyoti Eye Hospital.
I was nervous, hospitals can make you feel small. I worried I would not understand anything.
Instead, Semiya found reassurance. Nurses guided her patiently. Staff spoke to her with respect. Doctors explained each step calmly.
The surgery itself was quick—almost anticlimactic.
I kept thinking- This is it? Something that frightened me for months was over so soon, she smiles.
Seeing Life Come Back Together
When the bandage was removed, clarity returned with startling certainty.
Everything was sharp again. The courtyard, the stairs, even my hands—I could trust them, Semiya says.
The life she had built did not change. It simply returned to her.
Today, Semiya moves through her days without fear. Her routines are no longer fragile acts of caution but expressions of independence.
At 55, Semiya Devi did not start over.
She began again, with sight, strength, and dignity firmly in place.
