Its a rather emotional time of the year for two reasons ..

17 years ago my dad went on his holy pilgrimage to Mecca, but it was a strange turn of events.

Firstly , because it was something he planned at the last minute, a spur of the moment, unlike the norm where this special event of the Islamic faith is planned months in advance. Secondly , the holy day fell on a Friday that year  ...  but it was also the last day of his life.

To say that the news of his sudden death was a shock is without doubt an understatement. But while mourning his death we could not help but feel amazed how fate had drawn him to that holy place in the way that it did.

I regret that i didnt travel in the car with him to the airport, i didnt even wake up in the early hours to see him off that Sunday morning. Perhaps it was some consolation that we were on good talking terms in those later years of his life.

2 years ago today we sat patiently in the hospital ward where my mom was being treated for cancer. It had been a very dificult 5 months with her health slowly deteriorating and various treatments, appointments , consultations, etc. We were waiting for the senior consultant to update us of  what was going to happen next. When we got told the dreaded news that she wasnt going to make it before the end of the year my heart sank. My mom showed amazing strength as i sat there weeping, telling me to remain positive. It was strength of a nature i'd never seen her show. I washed my face and approached the doctor as he was leaving the ward. I thanked him for all he had done to treat my mom and her cancer.  I guess when he'd said "before the end of the year" we all started thinking that she would be around for at least a few months, but sadly it was only 4 weeks later when the angels took her away, and now she's back with my dad.

Looking up at the sky and swear i can see them up there having some silly row like your typical married couple  :)  ... Dad smoking his pipe , mum telling him what a stubborn silly old fool he can be at times  ;)