Borrowed Time

My parents passed on around a decade ago, within 4 yrs of each other. It is natural for me to think that old people would be gone, so I never gave much thought over when my parents would leave us. I had also taken it for granted that we love each other enough, or know each other well enough, for them to understand that I love them; that I've done for them what I could be expected to do for them; that all is forgiven; so that I can get on with life without any regrets as far as my relationships with them is concerned.

It is different when it comes to friends. I have made some incredible relationships throughout my life. These relationships had started since anything from my teenage years, college, my three jobs, and others in between.

As friends my age returned home to Allah in the recent years, it got me thinking, how much more time do I have left with those still with me. Will I leave this world without the chance to tell them how grateful I am for their presence in my life? Or will it be the case that I will be regretting not saying things that need to be said when they precede me.

Age is a factor. Some of them have passed their official life expectancies. I have told them my appreciation for sharing with me their friendship. But distance from some of these special persons has prevented me from saying it while looking into their eyes, or to seal it with a hug.

These elderly friends have taught me much on the meaning of respect. I do not mean that I learnt to respect the elderly from them. They taught me how to earn respect and to give respect, and that one earns respects when giving where its due. They showed me respect when I thought I was nobody but a fleck of dust in their world of experience and knowledge. I learned without a doubt that respect has nothing to do with our social position. I learned that we all deserve respect for the simple reason that we are human; that each of us is someone's child, mother, father, sister, brother.

I am still hopeful that I will meet each one of these wonderful people on my list. I am hopeful that Allah will lend us sufficient time and resources we need to fulfil my desire to thank each and every one of them in person, and to tell them how much difference they have made in my life.