Uncle Ray

Less than a month ago, I was blessed with a baby cousin. Less than half a day ago, I lost an uncle.

Funny how life can be. One minute you think your family just grew and next it reduced again. Allah has a plan for everything and I do believe that with all my heart. A lesson for everything that comes.

I’m not facing the best time currently but with a little bit of sacrifice and a lot of faith, I’m doing alright.

Losing a family member brings the rest of the family together. This could be a wake up call from Allah to keep the family close always and to always be there through thick and thin. And that’s just what I’ll do. My family, and whoever at all I consider family, comes first. Always.

“Moments like this make us realise that all we have at the end of the day is family. Family and Allah.”

He always knew the best thing to say. Always teased me without ever actually hurting my feelings. Always had the best sense of humour and the strongest faith in Islam. The stories he told me has and will always stay in my thoughts. UPSR, when I got my results, he congratulated me like I won an Oscar. He bought me some kuih he found out I liked and made sure I knew it was from him. A few days later, he tried to recreate it and it was even better than what he bought. When I got my IGCSE results, my grades were Alhamdulillah, once again good but just to me, not good enough. He knew exactly what to say and I did not cry anymore after talking to just him. Instead, I started texting all my teachers and thanking them for teaching me for so many years allowing me to get the grades I did and thanked my parents so much for putting in all they can for the best education I can possibly get. Only because he spoke to me.

To my cousins, Cahaya, Qalisha, Siti and Umaira and to my aunty, Che Na, I love you endlessly. He was an amazing person and will always be remembered as one. Probably the best and most humble chef I’ll ever meet who was always ready to teach anyone at all willing to learn from him. It has been a privilege to be part of his life. I cannot imagine what you are going through but I know you are an incredibly tough family. He will always be in our hearts, no matter where he is. We know for sure, he’s in a good place. Because a man with such a kind heart like him should be no where less than the best. Allah is merciful, Allah is great. I love you, Uncle Ray.

Al-Fatihah.