Tuesday, September 4, 2007

I Dream of Gramma

101 years old, born in 1906,thats how old my late maternal gramma was. Yes, as of last night around 7.45pm, I no longer have any grandparents. I was on my way from the office going home when I got a call from my sis around 8ish, telling me gramma has passed on....

And memories flooded my mind...the past 2 weeks I have been thinking about gramma, whom I last met about 2 months back. She looked frail, but otherwise OK, and despite her hearing problem, she recognised me. And I cried when she smothered me with her usual kisses all over my forehead -- her normal way of greeting each and everyone of her grand children and great-grand children...

And last early last week my mom told me about gramma's failing health due to lost of appetite, and my mom said that perhaps a visit was due. And my mom went. And my sisters, brother and dad went on Sunday. They asked me to join them, but I had an office event (which I inadvertantly missed by waking up late), and on top of that my body was sore from sports...

And then the news I got last night. When I got home, my mind was still on gramma. Then while performing Isha prayer downstairs, I got a cold feeling for a moment. And I noticed something at the corner of my eye, just at the edge of the door. And I knew its gramma's soul visiting me for the last time. The feeling was a happy one, and I thought I could "feel" her smiling to me. And despite the loss, I'm happy for gramma...

The first thing I did when we arrived at gramma's place was to give her a gift of Al-Fatiha, then I kissed her forehead. My sisters broke down in tears. I told mom about gramma's visit, and she broke down in tears, too. She said gramma really missed all her grand children and great-grand children who werent by her side during her last moments. Mom said thats probably why gramma visited me. And I know my bro who's in Frankfurt must have been visited, too, because he's feeling the loss and is very sad. And as for my younger sis, gramma visited her in her dream, where they sat down together and enjoyed viewing old pictures in laughter...

And I knew gramma was ready and good to go. She had done a lot of great deeds in her long life, to a lot of people. She was a Koraan scholar, and taught a lot of people to read the Koraan. Because of her dedication, my mom was a Qari'ah, and my sibling and myself have completed the Koraan study 3 times over. And many have benefited, too. Many of those who came to pay their last respect were her students...

And her long life was finally complete, and the smile on her face as gramma was laid to rest in Mother Earth, facing the Qibla, was gramma's reaffirmation that all's well. We will miss you dearly gramma...

Semoga roh nya di cucuri rahmat, amin! Al-fatiha for gramma Morsalin.