Thoughts About Parents

My friend had a remembrance service for his father today. We met at his home and read the Quran, prayed for his father's soul. As I was sitting on the carpet, holding the scripture in my hands, I thought about the man we were praying for. I didn't know him, had never met him. But I wondered how many times he had sat on similar carpets, holding the scripture, praying for someone's soul. I thought about my own father, whose age keeps gathering on him. We move so obliviously through our days, at so many removes from the ones we love. May Allah keep them safe. May we all be blessed with the opportunity to love them as extravagantly as we have been loved.