Final Marker

Visiting Shahdi this afternoon, I was surprised to see her partially installed tombstone. I was not aware that it was ready and did not expect it to be installed until spring. The cemetery worker was still working on it when I left the site in tears after a few minutes.

I looked long at the dusty tombstone with Shahdi's birth and death dates next to each other. Even after over two years, I still found it so hard to believe that I, a mother, had had the grand misfortune of witnessing the expiration date of my child displayed on a piece of black stone in a cemetery, with her name enclosed in golden roses, marking her permanent location on Earth for eternity. There will be no more travels, no more beaches, no more adventures and no more laughter for our Shahdi. She is at her final destination with her arrival date now stamped on her tombstone.

What can I say?? I let my tears express the tormented feelings which my tongue is incapable of articulating and my fingers are unable to type....

RIP our Shahdi - our joy, our life, our love...