The thread: Dad
Friends, I'm overwhelmed with the support you've shown me about my book announcement, it means the world to me. I'd like to share something personal about this book.
There is one thread that runs through the whole "30 Days" effort that I hadn’t realized until I was reading through all the posts sequentially for this book. It’s my Dad. You’ll ‘meet’ him as you read the stories, he’s a central character. This book starts with a post about him sitting in the center of our family room sofa, two grandkids on either side listening to his tales; he was the ultimate storyteller.
The next year, when I asked the kids to choose one person to write a gratitude letter to, Zayd chose Nunno. My Dad adored Zayd, beyond words; he called him an ‘all-rounder’ and everything Zayd said and did made my father beam. So you can imagine what it meant to have Zayd read a letter to him. In ‘Traditions’, Dad recounted his Ramadan memories as a young boy, making kachaloo (fruit salad) every evening and riding the blue tram all day on Eid. And the next year, when Dad’s 80th birthday fell during Ramadan as I was sharing ‘Inspiring Stories’, I was able to tell the most inspiring story I know.
Dad contributed a post too, about saying goodbye to his father before he left for college in London, at age 20; he remembered the day, even the time – September 17, 1955, 7:30 pm. The title of his post is Khudhafiz Bapu (Goodbye father). I didn’t realize that I would have to say those words to him just a few years later.
There’s one more thing. As I was going through the comments on the blog recently, I came across two that I hadn’t remembered seeing before. They were from my Dad – one for Saanya, and one for Zayd, written in 2013. That he was following the blog and thought to comment on it was heartwarming enough. That I found these comments now, when I am missing him so much, is no accident.
He wrote to his granddaughter, “My dearest, dearest Saanya beti. I too pray for your success in achieving your goals. Believe me that all your wishes will come true. You must keep your faith. Love you a lot, Nanno.”
To Zayd, he wrote, in all caps: “My dearest Zayd, you are my best friend. God has given you all the best qualities that a boy like you deserves. I pray that you keep it up. You are a rising star. Love you lots, Nanno.”
To find these messages from my Dad, addressed to my kids who are now young adults, is a reminder for me that he is still cheering them on; it is literally, a Godsend.
And today, on his second death anniversary, I am comforted at the thought that he is smiling knowing that his stories are in a book written by his girl.