Daddy...

"Darling son your dad praying for you. Wishing you all the best. Have a gr8 day. Love u vvvvv much. Miss u vvvvv much"
An SMS sent to me around midnight on January 25th, 2009. Dad, usually, sent such messages early in morning before I headed out to work or play. I found it quite peculiar to have received the sms that late in the night. I had told myself that I will call him as soon as I wake up next morning. It is something that I will forever regret. My beloved father didn't answer his phone. He couldn't. He had succumbed to a massive heart attack. I had lost the opportunity to speak with him one last time. The sms remained his last words for me.

Dad was working in Saudi Arabia at the time of his death. It took us eight days to bring his body back to India. The wait had been excruciating. The family, already in a state of shock, had to bear the agony. We were fortunate to have had the overwhelming support of our relatives and friends. They were there by our side when we needed them the most. My father's employers in Saudi Arabia did their best to ensure that he was brought back to us at the earliest. Friends, here in India, helped us complete all the formalities right from the airport procedures to the cremation rituals. Mere words cannot express our gratitude for the kindness shown by these wonderful people.

Life now has completely changed. There are enormous responsibilities to be shouldered. I have dropped my MBA plans, at least for now. Under current circumstances, it wouldn't be wise to take on the burden of a huge loan. I need to be with my family for I need them as much as they need me. I have quit my job in Hyderabad and will be moving to Chennai in less than two weeks. By God's grace I have found an opening that, to an extent, should make up for the lack of an MBA. I am joining a start-up. I will be playing a major role in helping the company grow. The learning curve will be tremendous and I expect to reap rich professional and personal rewards. It would be the ideal experience that prepares me for a future entrepreneurial role. As I embark on this new journey, I wish to state that life tests you in various ways and teaches you to be strong. I have just lived through the worst period of my life but at the end of it, thanks to tons of well wishes, I am going to do something exciting. I am going to be home.

There is so much more that I wanted to type in this post...so much more that I have to say. But I can't. Am not able to.

Dad, every time I write something about you my eyes well up with tears. You have done so much for us. You lived your life for us. Yet you left us before you could see us reach our peak. Why did you have to be so selfless? You could have easily chosen retirement over work but you always wanted to do that bit extra for your family. You showed us the way. You will always be our guiding light. You will forever live in our hearts. We love you...I love you.

LHK by the zillions