The Language of the Dead is the Language of Love - Mika at the Garden of Stones

On Saturday morning, Mikhail was with me. And as the weather was lovely with just the slightest morning drizzle, we decided to visit Bukit Kiara Cemetery where rests the pusara (grave) of my late mother.

We visited her grave ready with our tasbihs (rosaries). Not that we used it, but it's good
to be ready, just in case. The black rosary from Oman was recently given to me by my father.
The colourful rosary from Mecca is Mikhail's, given by me. So grandfather to father,
and father to son. I like it when the circle is complete. And I am sure my mother loves it too.
She always had a very tidy mind, and likes thing neat and complete.

Mikhail is always drawn to the babies and toddlers' graves, just across from my mother's.

"She was only 3 months old!" Mika said, and sighing before observing,
"The good always die young, Papa..." The baby girl was born in November 2002,
before being laid to rest in January 2003. 

This is Mika's favourite spot in the cemetery, a giant boulder that was left undisturbed,
probably because it was too costly to be destroyed to rubble. The giant boulder appeared
to me to be a gravestone, but for whom? "This stone has a story to tell, Mika." I quipped.
"What story, Papa?" he asked. I told him to ask the giant boulder itself. I do that sometimes
when I do not know how to answer my son. Hehehe. Why be accurate when you can befuddle?

Beside the boulder is the New Garden of Babies. It is the latter section that now houses
the graves of babies and toddlers. It is a beautiful corner of this beautiful cemetery. Mika
went down  to have a bit of a wander-about.  

He stubbed his' Crocs' on the rock and his Sponge Bob Square Pants doll
fell off his sandal. At my suggestion he decided to give the doll to one of the
babies resting here. He picked one nearby and respectfully placed the doll at the grave.

Then he recited the al-Fatihah (Opening Verse of the Holy Quran) for the soul of
the baby. As we walked back he mused, "Papa, I hope the baby will get the Sponge Bob!"
To which I answered, "Well... even if he doesn't get the Sponge Bob, he would certainly have
received your prayer, Mika." He pondered for awhile before concluding, "That's good!"

So now Mika's right sandal is without Sponge Bob and his left sandal is kinda grotesquely missing Batman's head and right forearm. But I think that is just fine. For he has made a friend. You always make friends when you visit the cemetery, I believe. So long as you know how to speak the language of the dead - The Language of Love.

Have a beautiful Sunday, sunshine, from Mika and myself. May God bless your warm fuzzy hearts.

wa min Allah at-taufiq

Hate has no place in Islam

Love will show the Way