Dear Grandpa,
It'll be my 22nd birthday soon. In a few days to be exact. And i was getting all caught up in lifes worries and joys until it dawned on me.... This would be my first birthday without you, without a call to you saying guess whos birthday it is! This would be my first birthday without you. Wow, those words can knock the wind out of you. It's kind of crazy because who I am today can be attributed to you, you were my backbone, my pusher, my listener, and most importantly my joy. See you had all the good attributes that a parent has but you didn't have to take any of the disciplinary actions from them. You emphasized my good and overlooked my bad, and there were times I needed just that. You taught me about where you came from so no matter how far I got I would always remember my way home. You taught me to keep my head low in humbleness and to keep it to the floor for God, yet taught me to rise high to every obstacle presented my way. I guess i never got to say thank you. I never realized that this would be my first birthday without you and many more are to come, you won't be at my graduation, or wedding, or at my child's first birthday or any special occasions that I imagined you to be at. It's hard to accept that and its even harder to know you were one of the main reasons I got this far and you won't be here to celebrate with me. Its been 10 months and 3 days since you've been gone but sometimes it feels like yesterday. Sometimes i forgot for a moment and want to dial your number as if to hear your voice one more time but reality hits hard when I remember that will never happen again. I pray for you every day after every prayer and I hope it reaches you. See that to me is my only form of communication left with you, because I know somehow you know that it's me praying for you. I'm sorry for not spending more time with you and if there is anything I could take back more it would be that. You were my backbone, my strength, my pride, my joy, my truth, and the love of my life. In my eyes you were my superhero and its hard to admitt to yourself that superheros have to leave too one day. I want you to know that this 22nd birthday I will be thinking of you as I always am and I hope wherever you are you are in peace and happy, afterall you've given that to so many people it's your turn to have it back. I love you more than anyone could know and I know one day we'll be hanging out eating icecream like the old days but inshAllah this time it'll be in heaven. Dear grandpa, I love you and thank you for making me who I am today and preparing me for my 22nd birthday.

Love,