Posted by : Muzaffar Friday, December 26, 2008

Yeah, it was only just yesterday that I thought I finally get to go on a proper holiday with my family to Penang. Well I don't know if I could keep this short or anything but I'll try my best to tell it straight to you guys...

After having a late lunch earlier today at some famous "Nasi Kandar" restaurant at Bukit Jambul, (it was about 4PM during that time) my mother got a called from one of my aunties in Johor saying that my grandmather had passed away. Not only did it took us all by surprise, but the fact that so many things were happening that day it couldn't have happened at the worst possible moment. She passed away at one of my aunty's house in Kluang, Johor at around 3PM from old age. Not sure what was the cause of death, but it was related to her weakening state after she suffered stroke a few years ago. (it could either been a heart attack or a second stroke, should probably know by tomorrow)

The thing was, it also happens to be my one of my cousins wedding that very day. (not sure what to say about this cause I don't really know my father's side of the family much or who most of my cousins are....) They already had done the "akad nikah" that morning and during that whole aftetnoon it was to be "kenduri" (meaning feast) for them. My step grandmother (it was my fathers step mother, my real grandmother died when my father was young) came to the wedding that afternoon with my grandfather and one of my aunties that drove all the way from Muar. Even at that moment she was already weak and almost collapse when she tries to sit down. In the end, they took her inside the house and let her lie on the bed. Then they called the doctor to check on her condition, but the doctor said she was already too weak to live and could very well die at any moment. It was too late to send her to a hospital and all they could do was just pray that she would stay alive. So everyone gathered around and started to read the "surah yassin" and grieve upon her. Sure enough her pulse finally faded and she had passed away.

Don't know how everyone was coping at that moment (but obviously everyone was grieving) and who was effected most by it.... (probably my grandfather, since he was closest to her) So they called the masjid and did all the procedure like how all procedures go to care for the ones who passed away. We thought that she was going to get buried the next day since it was well after the evening before the body could be taken but my grandfather insisted she would get buried today. Sure enough after the Isyak and Jenazah prayer, they took the body to Bakri and get her buried there.

Right now I'm just lost for words to describe the moment. Stunned? Confused? Exhausted? Panicked? Sad? Grief? Disappointed? None of these could even describe how I feel right now. I just went to Penang yesterday and had to come back today to get ready and go to Johor the next morning. But then again family is WAY IMPORTANT than any holiday you take and that visiting your relatives had to be your first priority, so I can't complain about that either. Anyway, I just want to say that life comes with many surprises and this is just one of them. One day your happy, the next day your struggling to live, that is just the way of life I guess. You can't blame these things for happening, but it does and we all should just accept it without any regrets or hatred towards this.......

Also, sorry not to wish everyone Christmas yesterday. Kinda slipped out of my mind. =P Also, it is kind of an irony that today also happens to coincide with the Tsunami incident that happened 4 years ago...... *sigh*

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