Appreciations

To write an eulogy about your own son is a difficult task. The task becomes so much harder when bitter memories fill your heart as to what happened on that fateful day last September. Timothy was in the prime of his manhood when death cruelly snatched him away in the company of two people he loved so much– his young wife and his sister.

The memories that still linger in our minds of the wonderful things he did in this short span of time only remind us that we are born to this world to die and that nothing is permanent. Death is irrevocable as we are well aware but when parents have to bury their children one tends to question the reason as to why some of us are unfortunate. Timothy was an exceptional son and a loving and caring husband to Chali, whom he adored. Chali was his first and only love whom he married when he was 22. His entire life revolved around his family, his home and his parents.

Reminiscing about Timothy’s early childhood and adolescence it is with a deep sense of emotion that I recollect how timid he was in College. His mother was his guiding light and strength. She spent the better part of the day in the precincts of St Joseph’s College so that she could be by his side. Probably this gave him both the courage and confidence to mould himself to what he eventually achieved during his short life. People who did not know him intimately would say that his self-confidence bordered on egotism. But to those who knew him, he was a unique, humble and exceptionally generous person, always ready to help those in need and willing to make sacrifices for others.

I was sometimes overawed at his generosity to those less fortunate than himself and the manner he treated those who worked for him. Whenever I had the good fortune of sending any workmen to help him at his worksites, they would sing his praises for months on end about the manner he treated them and at the sincerity of his generosity. He was a Christian in every sense of the word. His laugh, his smile still haunts me as if it was only yesterday. I cannot accept that he is no longer with us. Many times I have tried to dial his number only to suddenly realize that he is physically no longer a part of us. However, I feel that he is by my side guiding my destiny and watching over our family. Timothy was a devout Christian who believed in his creator and even with his heavy workload he found the time for his Sunday obligations in Church and spent time on behalf of the poor of the parish.

We Christians believe that we are born into this world for a purpose and once it has been achieved the Almighty calls us to be with Him. I believe that Timothy had fulfilled that wish within just three decades and this evil world was not a place for someone like him. My daughter, Natasha, who was his best friend and spent most of her time with him and his wife, lost not only a brother but a true friend who was the guiding light of the family.

My daily prayer is to thank God for giving me Timothy though even for this very short space of time for he taught me what love and generosity was by his own actions.

We little knew that morning
God was going to call your name
In life we loved you dearly
In death we do the same
It broke our hearts to lose you
You did not go alone
For a part of us went with you
The day God called you home
You left us beautiful memories
Your love is still our guide
And though we cannot see you
You are always at our side
Our family chain is broken
And nothing seems the same
But as God calls us one by one
The chain will link again.

So my darling son, it's goodbye till we meet again on that beautiful shore in Paradise.

His laugh and smile still haunt us