It was a day no one is truly prepared for.

I was at lunch in the café when my phone rang. It was mom. She told me Abbasi uncle had passed away.

It was a heart attack.

I was shocked.

It was so unexpected. Our families were supposed to take a trip to the Niagara Falls next month. It would have been amazing.

Dad was looking forward to meeting him and hanging out.

There is so much sacrifice when you move abroad.

Lost time with extended family and friends. Missing out on celebrating festivals. Working on days that would otherwise be holidays in India.

It never is the same as back home.

We were so close to changing that.

But life, as is often the case, had different plans. And that makes you think how precious time spent with loved ones is, especially when they get old. How you must strive to enjoy every single moment that you have with them.

How you must make plans with them.

I last saw Abbasi uncle in 2017.

He was energetic, kind and thoughtful. He may not have liked that I left my parents back home to go to the US. But he made me breakfast, we talked cricket and shared ice-cream.

I could see he loved to live life.

Abbasi uncle cared a lot.

And his family cared about him just as much. I remember Nafu aunty mentioning how hard he’d worked when he came to the US. Flipped burgers at restaurants and would need to walk back home at night if they closed early.

He was a wonderful family man.

Death teaches you a lot about life.

It teaches you about how life is to be celebrated. It helps put into perspective what is truly important. And spending time with family comes to the forefront. Being healthy is right up there. Surrounding yourself with positivity and happiness is paramount.

Life is to be cherished.

Thanks for being a wonderful father, husband and a great human being, Abbasi uncle.

May you rest in peace.

The Finality Of Death: When My Uncle Passed Away And What That Means

The all-in-one writing platform.

Write, publish everywhere, see what works, and become a better writer - all in one place.