the magnificent life of andrea t. walker

04Sep11

our lives had drifted apart,
settling into occasional facebook post & pictures,
and intermittent texts when she came to my mind because i passed her street in DC.

there is a hadith from the prophet Muhammad (may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) that goes:

“Take advantage of five matters before five other matters: your youth, before you become old; and your health, before you fall sick; and your wealth, before you become poor; and your free time before you become busy; and your life, before your death.”

while she had been taking advantage of her youth, health, wealth, time and life
to serve humanity (and even shelter animals) across continents,
i had turned mostly inward to focus on raising my gaggle of girls,
cultivating my marriage, and managing a household.

from andrea’s example i have learned that i can and should do more.
i have been too stingy.
i should share my talents with others
and make outward connections for a more fruitful life.

our last communication had been via several texts shortly before her transistion.
apologizing for the “sad text” she informed folks that her doctor told her
that any other actions regarding her puffler’s diagnose would only be “palliative”.
i texted back asking if i could come visit her.
she texted that she was at johns hopkins.
we made plans for friday.

and Allah is the Best Planner.

that friday, my husband had to run some errands
and then we headed out to baltimore,
getting to the hospital shortly before visiting hours expired at 8pm.
i hopped out with lillies and a vase
– just in case she didn’t have a spare –
while ishaq remained in the car with the girls.

i found the floor and the section and asked about her room.
a lady at the desk said she had been discharged.
surprised and saddened that i had missed her,
i babbled that she had just texted me earlier that afternoon.
i could do nothing but return to the car.
we were supposed to go to someone’s house for an iftar.

i was disappointed that i’d made the trip and she was not there,
but i wasn’t upset.
how do you get upset with someone deteriorating from cancer?
i left hoping something good had happened
or that she’d just went home to be with family in her own space
during her last days.

her sister called me the next day leaving a message asking me to give her a call.
i had thought that the cancer in her lungs
may have left her without the ability to talk
– she had mentioned in one of her texts
that it was easier for her to communicate via texts –
so i wasn’t alarmed.
when i returned andrea’s sister’s call,
she told me that
andrea had passed on friday around 2:30pm.
i had missed saying goodbye to andrea,
thanking her for sharing a bit of her life with me,
by just a few hours of our planned visit.

we plan and Allah plans;
and Allah is the Best Planner.

i missed her,
but andrea has left a joyous, active legacy of service.
along with her example,
i have another day,
another opportunity,
to obey Allah through service to His creation,
and i don’t want to miss that.

Filed under: earthling, islam, muslim   |  1 Comment
Tags: andrea, cancer, death, joy, pufflers, service, walker