An ode

The wonders of Facebook is such that you get connected to long-lost friends, and get to choose who you include in your friends list and who you don't. What you choose to share with your friends and they share with you, become the basis of what you know about them and they about you.

But I've recently discovered, Facebook is also a tool to announce deaths. A few weeks ago, I learnt about an old schoolmate who passed away. At age 39, she succumbed to cancer and left behind a distraught husband and five young kids. How my heart breaks. I could only cry silent tears and a quiet prayer. Never mind I have not seen her in years. We connected online and caught up via Facebook. And that was enough. The the effect of learning about her passing is devastating to me.

This friend will be remembered as a strong and courageous Muslimah. And I pray her children will be given strength to continue with their lives.

And then on the weekend, I learnt about the passing of yet another wonderful human being. My favourite movie director, Yasmin Ahmad, passed away suddenly. I don't know her personally but follow her blog and watch her movies. But the news of her passing still struck me as if she's a friend.

Yasmin leaves a huge void in the Malay film industry. She raised the industry's benchmark - viewers are no longer happy with the status quo - the viewers having tasted intelligent movies that encompasses more than boy-meets-girl and the associated drama, will demand more. But I'm not sure if the current calibre of directors we have out there will rise to the occasion.

From God we come, and to Him we return.