Yesterday I accompanied Shahed to visit his grandmother’s grave with another friend of his, Ijad, and before the yasin, he ’spoke’ to ‘her’. I couldn’t help but feel his loss because they were close, and she passed on last Christmas while he was away on his year-long nautical internship.

The entire day, we talked about how some people in our lives have come and gone, or about those who stayed who never changed for better or for worse. I know it for a fact for the longest time but seriously up til today, he remains the kindest and most unconditional friend to me and my family, one of the few I always keep in touch with now that I’ve moved to Malaysia. I hope I can offer them the same or more pillars of strength, warmth, support in any form to them and their family; wife, kids and all. I hope everybody I know and love, be open to have such a character in their lives. One you don’t necessarily depend on for anything, but cannot imagine know how it would be like without them.

A good friend is one who sees you through all your changes and even when you disagree with each other, they’d still stick around and offer you things you need but don’t dare to ask. Even if they go far far far away from you, they’d still be there right when you need them. Be that friend for somebody else today.

ps: I’m not wearing that ring anymore.