It is said when someone you truly love dies, they take a piece of you with them as they pass over from this world, most of the times you don’t even realize it when it happens but the pain you feel in the aftermath symbolizes the loss…..
As I entered the room, the hollow white room; her presence could be felt in it, even though she was there no more, the lifeless room… I could feel a drop in temperature as I stepped in, the women huddled before me blocked what lay ahead. I held on to my mother’s arm, my eyes searching for her…
Until I came across the white sheet, there she lay, adorned in white, the beautiful cloth with lovely ‘ayats’ painted on it. I wanted to reach out, to touch her hand just to assure myself that she was underneath the cloth, just one touch and I’d know, my hands reached out, trembling, but…no, I couldn’t bring myself to do it. She looked so much at peace than the last time I had seen her, her body no more shuddering or losing breath, she lay there in a deep slumber.
As my mother started to un wrap the cloth, I held my breath and from underneath the cloth emerged her face. For a fact I had never seen a more serene, a more peaceful face. They say the body starts to turn grey after death, I think I would differ on that. She looked beautiful, her face whiter than the white cloth adorning her body, my eyes wouldn’t leave her face, taking in every inch. The lovely warm eyes which wouldn’t open anymore, the delicate lips which wouldn’t greet me anymore, the wrinkles looked deeper than ever, the face frozen in time with a single, peaceful expression.
Her pain was finally over, she had moved on to something new, something better. One last time I ran my eyes over her face, hungrily, taking in every inch for I knew the next time I get to see her would be when I had no life left in me. I didn’t want to cry in front of her, for even when she was gone, she was there, and I could feel it. I knew I was ready to say goodbye, as my finger held the cloth, covering the face once again, I felt her smile and I said in my heart
‘Till we meet again
in a place better than our present
Till we meet again……’
