A Constant Reminder

By Hamza Shafique

Today while driving to work I just remembered an old friend randomly.

Back in 2008 when I was living in KSA, I was way more interested in the internet world, whether it be reading about different stuff on Wikipedia, blogging about photography or online discussion forums where I would discuss random topics with total strangers across the world. Chatting with total strangers from unique places around the world really gave me the exposure and access to the world which otherwise I couldn’t have. Just imagine I could discuss the dynamics of Surfing with a surfer from Malta or political scenarios in Jerusalem from a Jewish Journalist supporting Palestine. All this was new and exciting. With time, I lost my interest in it, got busy with life and forgot about most of modern day pen friends of mine.

Today while driving to work, out of nowhere one such friend came to my mind and I thought to check where is he, what he is up to and if he still remembers me. This specific guy was from California and we used to chat way often, from 2008 up till 2010 I guess, till he moved to NYC. We were of same age almost and would chat about literally anything from Weight loss crash diets to career goals etc.

What fascinated me was the uncertainty and freedom which I got to experience/explore through him. Which was rare in my life, as being a Desi, most of us live in a certain manner and follow a certain path. And he was also interested in unique Desi/Saudi cultural aspect of my life as well. He was living his life in California free from any family pressure, any time constrained career obsessions and on top of that he used to have loads of fun. He was one of the inspiration behind the decision to move to Dubai in 2012. He moved to New York in 2010 I believe and that’s when he got really busy with his Job and I also got busy with other stuff in life, eventually we lost touch. I remember, once to my rants about the fact that I am 25 years old and haven’t achieved the career goals that I should have, he replied,” Hamza relax we are still babies, live your life like a baby”.

As soon I reached work, I opened my Facebook while in parking and searched for him in friend list. I found his account but it said “Remembering DG(his initials),We hope people who love D will find comfort in visiting his profile to remember and celebrate his life” . After going through several messages on his wall I found out that he passed away 2 years ago at the age of just 31. This news really shook me, this was the guy I once imagined having it all, one I inspired to be someday and now he is just gone. I tried hard to find out what happened to him to get some closure but my google searches didn’t reveal anything and all I was left with the fact that he is no more.

Death is a constant reminder of the fact that this life is fragile and temporary. I don’t know how one should interpret this fact, whether to take my late friend’s words as to live life like a baby till we have it or something else like my religious friends would take it as the urgency to spend time worshipping Allah or a family man can take this reminder as a realization to spend time with and for family. There are many ways one can interpret this fact about life. But the fact stays the same that Life is limited and deserves to be spent the way one desires it to be.

 I pray for my friend’s departed soul to find peace in after life (in which I know for a fact, he didn’t believe in) and wish for all of us to be able to enjoy, have fun and live this limited time that we all got to the fullest. Amen