Dear father,
I am sure you would be enjoying your eternal life in the gardens of Paradise. Allah would have bestowed you with His endless blessings, as you treated your fellow beings on earth with love, care and support.
I am writing this letter to you to let you know how much I miss you. Father, do you know how much time has passed since you left us....!
It has been seven years, seven months and one day since I touched you the last time. I touched your forehead. It was cold. It burnt my heart. I couldn’t bear its coldness. How could I! The body that always provided me with warmth was lying cold and still in front of me.
Father, it has been seven years, seven months and six days since you touched me the last time. You hugged me when you came to depart me at the door. It was the moment I heard your voice the last time. None of us knew what the future was holding.
I wish I had spent more time with you that day. I wish I had more gossips with you. I wish I came to sit with you when Hussain was pulling me to quit the work on computer and stressed to spend time with you. It is a wish that can never be fulfilled now. I just regret.
Father, you know your grand son, Hussain remembers you. I wonder how precisely he remembers the time spent with you. He describes some events as if he was older than he was.
He was hardly one year and 3 months old when he sat with you to eat black current. He tells me the exact position both of you were sitting. He tells me Nana Abbu (maternal grand father) was giving phalsa one by one. I, too, often remind of that scene he was extending his pinch towards you and you were giving him the softer of the fruits. It was an epic representation of familial love and bonding.
Hussain remembers he once went to your shop and you spoon fed him with rice. He remembers we went with you at the stationery shop to buy scissors for him. He was only 2 and half years old at that time, but he remembers them so clearly. It is nothing but your affection for him that has made him remember all this.
Father, do you remember I was battling with clinical depression at the time you left us. I had recovered to some extent in your life. Of course, it was you who helped me pull out of that phase. If you didn’t take me to the psychiatrist and be a strong sense of support for me, it would be arduous for me to deal with my calamities.
Whenever, I go to mom's place I feel like you are still there. In the evening, I see you sitting on the wooden table taking off your shoes.
You remember, you were waiting for my second child who was about to come to this world. He came after 27 days of your departure. He takes after you. He has got a broad forehead just like yours. The other day I was looking at him and I felt like I was looking at you.
A couple of years ago when we had a gathering, uncle was telling us about your life struggles. He told an incident when both of your palms were burnt and you would not quit working. You travelled long distances with the burnt palms.
Father, you never told us about your struggles. You kept on being a giver- a person who selflessly wants to benefit other.
Indeed, while I am unaware of several struggles that remained unseen by me, I have personally witnessed several of your struggles. You worked day and night often extending to over time and even on holidays to provide us the best facilities of health and education.
You always kept your family as your priority over yourself. I know there came a time when you were broke but still you spent you last penny on us to ensure our well-being and secure our future. It is your generosity that has landed us on a respectable position in the society.
Your absence has left us with a void that can never be filled by anything. During the time of challenges we yearn for your sustaining and reliable support. In the moments of joy we ache for your affectionate companionship.
None of us, your family, can pay you back for the selfless efforts you have done for us. We owe you for the comfortable life we are living. Words can never be enough to express my gratitude to you.
Though you are physically absent, your teachings of selflessness, resilience and perseverance are with us to guide through our pathways.
Your memories are a source of inspiration for me. Though tears roll out of my eyes whenever I talk or write about you yet I find solace in your memories. There is a lot more to tell you, father, but my eyes have become blurry due to the unstoppable tears. Until we meet again, you memories would remain a beacon of light for me.
Forever in my heart,
Your daughter.
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Image created using Bing AI
