Hey friends,
Today 16th November 2005, at 3:30am, a heart stopped beating.
My paternal grandfather passed away.
Mashallah, he was an amazing 93 years old.
My grandmother is handling the situation with a very brave face, but the real impact of his loss will happen now as we learn to live each day knowing he will not be there in his familiar place in our home.
I have so much to write about him because I share a personal, special relationship with him that was born out of my three years of stay with my grandparents when I was in school in Pakistan. I wish I could get into all the details about him right now, but I am at a mere loss of words for such a huge loss in our family.
My mind is still at the graveyard where we buried him at 5pm. 6 feet below, my grandfather is laid to rest. I was able to handle myself very bravely the whole day as we received guests who dropped by, for the prayers, and for the actual burial. It was on my ride back home alone with the driver than I broke down as I realized this would be the first time I am coming to a home where my grandfather will not be there.
On a side note, I want to apologize to everyone out there for my inability to write on a more periodic basis, but I can assure you that I have made a trip to the northern earth-quake affected areas, and I have kept a journal with pictures, which I will share with you once I am back in Dubai. That experience in itself was life-shattering for me which I must share. On another smaller note, I have had a small surgery which has kept me away from the computer. My stay in Pakistan has been extended for another week because I want to be able to support my grandmother and not let her feel that she is alone right now. She needs us all very much
Friends, apologies once again for not being more consistent writing here. I am just going through a very surreal phase with profound feelings and emotions having experienced the loss of a grandfather who I had a very special place in my heart, and who himself has told me how special I was to him.
May God rest his soul in peace and grant him a special place in Heaven. Ameen.
Mansur :-<
