To A Forgotten Cousin

My cousin died today.



He was 34 years old. The scientific reason why he died was - he had pneumonia. But really, his body just gave up. He was just too tired to continue living.



My cousin was a very quiet person. If you're in a room with him, you'll hardly notice he's there at all. He had very little to say to anybody and people just left him alone.



And there lies the biggest mistake we ever made. We left him alone.



In retrospect, even if he didn't have anything to say, people should have treated him with respect. After all, he was a decent guy. He never bothered anybody. He never did anything to hurt anyone. I bet, if we asked him for help, he wouldn't have disappointed. The problem was, nobody asked him for anything.



He didn't do well at school. He didn't get a good job. He didn't make any good friends. But he tried. He took on jobs that was not for him. Carrying heavy stuff. Doing odd jobs. It was the best he could do. Yet nobody noticed.



I guess in the end, getting pneumonia was the only way to get people to notice him. At least when he was at the hospital, people knew who he was. And when everyone was gathered around him, he did the thing that would really remind people of who he was. He died.



I didn't think about him today before I received the call from my mum. In fact, I haven't thought about him since I invited him to my wedding. He didn't come because of work. But I didn't even noticed his absence. I admit, with all my heart, I am wrong to have treated him the way I did. And for this I am sorry. For all its worth. May he forgive me.