Overcast Overbearing

I had the pleasure of having my mother and grand mother at my place for the month or so. My mother left a few weeks ago due to professional commitments, but it was fabulous to have my grandmother still around. Over this month and especially the time I spent with my grand mom I once again realized the privilege and the blessing of having the elderly in our house.To begin with, great things have happened since she’s been around. When ever I do the slightest thing for her she showers me with duas and it seems God listens to each and everything she prays for her, since a number of things that were stuck in the middle of no where started going my way. It was the first time since I moved in this apartment that someone prayed five times a day and recited the Quran on a regular basis. Things that I sadly don’t indulge in as often as I should. It was her presence, her stories from her youth, or her relationship with my grandfather or some story about someone that left me gaping that made every single minute of her stay thoroughly enjoyable.

Today, as the Toronto sky bears no resemblance to the tones of summer that it had been advertising over the past few weeks, I feel sad to be having the last dinner with my lovely granny for some time come. I call her ami because shes always treated me like her son, rushing me to the hospital when I would hurt myself as a child or picking me up from school when Id call her up saying I dont want to ride the school bus that day. She spoiled me and disciplined me, she let me loose and when needed restrained me. Some of my friends still remember her zipping through the streets of Karachi in her hey days. Now, in her own words, the only thing she can do for us is pray and do I need someone like that or what. I wish I can take more care of her, I wish I can achieve further financial progress to be able to look after her and have her blessings for days come. Rest assured, her absence in my apartment would be felt for days to come. And with the way the sky has been pouring today and the overcast predictions for Tomorrow, the city is not too pleased with her departure either. The skies are my partners in bidding ami adieu with a heavy heart. Boys dont cry but the skies can pour and pour they do with my emotions.

Adding further misery to this overbearing overcast is the fact that I shouldn’t have been in Toronto today. My dear friend Koko gets married next weekend in Karachi. I was all set to leave T Dot on Friday and would probably have been in Karachi by now. However reality is telling us a different story as I sit Toronto writing this post while my friends are certainly reveling in a dholki thrown in Kokos honour. Alas we all handle the cards we are dealt right, and I am handling mine. Cheers to all the mates rocking at the wedding and pre-wedding parties.

So that eventually sums up this weekend, which after moms departure is probably the saddest this summer. What made up for mums departure were the parties that ensued after she left, the Molson Indy, the Italian world cup wins, they worked like an ointment but that might not be the case this time. Ill spend tomorrow missing ami a lot and then hear stories of the ongoing wedding and sulk a bit further. Sad times on this planet I tell you.But heres the thing, I have a feeling that the next time I blog, I will have good stories to tell, stories of joy and happiness of fond memories and good stuff basically no more of these dark melancholy tales from this node in the WWW. So till then, cheerios mates.

PS: amis menu for the parting day meal, Nihari for lunch and Khichri Keema and Shahi Tukray for dinner - all my favorites.