Obituary

If anyone watched the movie Serendipity, they will probably remember the scene where Jonathan (the main character) read an obituary that his journalist friend wrote him. It was so good that it haunted me ever since I watched the movie. Today, on my way to work, I passed by the cemeteries. I pass by them everyday, but today - for some uncanny reason - I started thinking about my own obituary. This isn't meant to be a sad note, but I kept struggling with the words in my head. What would people, if they had the chance, write about me when I'm gone? What would they say if they were given the freedom of speech when I'm no longer there to dispute or argue what they said?

What I came up with was bits and pieces of the things people tell me sometimes. Funny, kind-hearted, devoted, overly sensitive, over-thinker, over-dramatic, loyal, patient, hard worker, "doesn't like confrontations", possessive, creative, intellectual, crazy, easily irritated, 3andaha mashakel...and the list keeps going.

This, however, is how I imagined my obituary would look like (don't hate me for this)

"--Noha Hanafy, a moderately-known poetess of the age of 52, died this morning at 6:50 am. Doctors, upon arrival, announced the cause of death as sudden heart failure. She was a quite person who lived alone in an apartment filled with books, daisies, scented candles and hand-written poems. Visited sometimes by her life long friends, Hanafy had the habit of taking a walk in fresh air every morning, arriving back to her house around sunrise. She was well-spoken, opinionated and imaginative. Crazy at times, she almost always shocked people with how wild her mind can be. She was always a perfectionist, who sought wholeness in everything especially human relationships. She gave her whole heart out to the people she loved, until her heart gave in early this morning. With a smile on her face, a tired smile but a smile nonetheless, she sent her last breaths to the world. Although not publicly recognized as an important literary figure, Hanafy's writing occasionally inspired other young writers to pursue their dream and send their words to the void.

In one of her last pieces of writing, Noha Hanafy concluded a long piece of prose saying:

"A hopeless person would look back on their life and think they could have done more, achieved more. I'm not a hopeless person, not any more, not after all these years. I look back on my life and think I could have done much less for this very same destiny/ending"

Condolences are best paid at heart. Prayers are needed."

Feel free to add to the obituary, after all it'll be you writing it someday since I won't be around to edit.

*Elements from the actual obituary in the movie were used.