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Usman Aftab

Mr. Lawrence

ENG4U0-C

December 7, 2023

The Last Call

In the book of life, each chapter represents the unique challenges we are confronted with

and the growth opportunities that follow. As I flip through the pages of my own, I learn more

about the world around me and the true meaning of life. That being said, it was not until chapter

16 (at the age of 16) that I grasped the true nature of life’s adversities. Just like a comma

punctuates a sentence, marking a brief but impactful pause, this chapter 16 highlights the

profound pause that followed the loss of the last living grandparent of mine, Khadija. Khadija

was her name.

I can recount thethat moment, her death, as if it just happened. What was supposed to be

a warm summer morning, turned into a storm that poured on me; matter of fact, a storm that

drowned me. When I walked downstairs to what I thought was just another phone call from one

of the hundred relatives I have, was insteadrather a call I wish I never heard.

“Ammal, you need to come back home. She is gone– momma is gone”.

I hated him. I hated my uncle for speaking those words. I wanted it to be a lie. I wanted it

to be a nightmare– a disturbing dream, something that is not real, but rather, it was the reality I

was living.I was living it. Living each, difficult bit of it. Bearing that in mind, when I thought it

could not get worse, she looked at me. I will never forget that look. Her eyes filled with tears,

She was so still, but so fragile.

“She is gone– grandma is gone”.

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I was livid. I could not bear to hear those words, though it kept being repeated. It was surreal. It

was a message I did not believe, a message mom did not believe– but most of all, a message our

hearts did not believe. Despite the distance, despite the miles and despite the borders, I felt, and

still feel the absence as if she was right here in Brampton with me. I remember each call– each

call that made me feel at home. Though for me, home was never a place, rather it was hearing

her soft voice that never failed to sooth me. Her warmth, her support, but most of all, her

unwavering love thatwas what healed me. However, what I did not realize until she passed was

the fact that she was the glue that held my family together. In terms of geographical area,s

grandma was far, yes, but she was close in our hearts. Hence, when she left this world she took a

piece of us with her– leaving a dark hole within. To be specific, she left a void that no one could

ever fill. At first, we struggled to come to terms with her death– that was no lie, but as time went

on, we changed our perspective on what was once a tragic event, into a learning experience.

Grandma’s death was for sure unexpected and the first real loss I experienced in life. Matter of

fact, the pain was like a shadow that followed me whenever and wherever I went. However, it

was a moment in life that brought my familyus together and a moment that taught us to cherish

the times we spend with our loved ones before those times turn into memories.

Grandma’s passing was like a comma that created a pause– a long pause I struggled to

move forward from, however: it taught me that life can be unpredictable, yet so precious,

highlighting the importance of making the most of it, right now, right here.