No time like the present

Over the past three decades, she would give me a call when she passed through my city and I would make it a point to go meet her wherever she was staying. We would spend a few hours catching up, speaking heart to heart so that even though the meetings were infrequent, the bond remained strong. That was till the last time. The last time she passed through my city, she called me and I promised to meet her later in the evening but I got caught up in something and it was not till five days later that I remembered that I was supposed to meet her. I had missed the opportunity. How was I to know that it would totally and finally be the last time? Soon after, she started her battle with a life threatening condition and our paths did not meet. The shock, grief and lack of closure I felt when I got the news of her passing away left me paralyzed.

Just ten days before her passing away, my dear brother passed under the veil. Though we were very close to each other, we had not met in over a year despite living in the same city. When I did finally meet him, he was barely conscious but he reached out for my hand from under the hospital blanket and we held on to each other for what seemed like an eternity, communicating through the medium of touch. When I saw him a week later, he was fighting for life and in another week it was all over for him.

Losing these two dear ones in quick succession, both leaving a tinge of regret about not meeting enough, I realise how much for granted we take that there is enough time. How we believe that we can make it up some other time. Now, like at no other time, I’m feeling that, no, there’s no time like the present. No time like the present to reach out to loved ones, pick up the phone and make that phone call. If there’s an opportunity to connect, don’t miss the opportunity because who knows what tomorrow will bring. Let us cherish and nurture the bonds because it is these bonds that make life meaningful.