Time – VI. When Time Stops for Good
Date Posted: April 5th, 2007
1884 – 1946. The lifespan of my paternal grandfather, Isaac. I was only 10 when he died. For a long time I could not believe that nono Zaki (nono is grandfather in Italian, and Zaki is the Arabic equivalent for Isaac) would no longer love me and spoil me like he did for so many years. Eventually I had to face reality, my grandfather was gone for good.
1903 – 2005. The lifespan of my wife’s aunt, Paula. Before I went to visit her for the first time, my future wife warned me that aunt Paula was a force of nature and was always dispensing advice which was presented as the definitive word on the subject! Little did I know when I first met her in 1966 that she would be with us for some 40 more years. For a long time we waited for aunt Paula to mellow, be more accepting. We waited in vain. Very reluctantly, at 101, she consented to go into a nursing home. And you know what, we loved the fact that she never took a backseat to anybody. When my son called me in March 2005 to tell me that aunt Paula has passed away in her sleep, I was shocked. All the members of my family were equally saddened. How long did we expected her to live?
I like to think that we all come into this world, and are alloted “a slice of time” to use as we see fit.
This slice could be 1798 – 1860 or 2005 – . It doesn’t matter that the first individual did not live in the advanced (both socially and technologically) society the latter individual will enjoy. They both get a slice of life. They will live it according to their personality, but within the constraints of their time and place. The first one accepted his world as it was. He did not know that 8 generations down the road his descendants will send their mail by clicking on an icon on their computers. He relied on the Pony Express and didn’t mind that his letter went through many riders and horses before it arrived at its destination. Then again, will the 2005 baby be allowed to grow old? With the way we treat our planet, this is not a certainty.
If you’ve taken the time to follow me so far, please walk with me a bit further for I have a message of hope.
