The Final Message

imple girl, living in an old neighborhood of Lahore. Her life was quiet, almost invisible to the world. Every morning, she woke up early, made tea, and walked to the nearby public library where she worked as an assistant librarian. No one knew much about her. She spoke little, kept to herself, and seemed content in her calm, ordinary life. But everything changed one quiet morning. As she reached the library, she saw an elderly man about eighty years old—standing at the entrance. His face held sorrow, and in his hands was an old, leather-bound diary. Zoya smiled politely. “Assalamualaikum, Baba ji. Please come in.” The man didn’t step inside. Instead, he handed her the diary and said, “This is for someone named Zoya. It must reach her. It will change her life.” Zoya blinked. “But I’m Zoya. Who sent this?” The old man paused, then said softly, “When the time comes, you’ll understand.” He turned and walked away—slowly, almost vanishing into the morning mist. The Secret in the Diary Zoya, unsettled yet curious, sat at her desk and opened the first page of the diary. Her hands trembled as she read the opening lines: “Zoya, you don’t know me, but I know you. Every moment, every breath... I am your father.” Her heart froze. All her life, Zoya’s mother had told her that her father had died before she was born. But the words in front of her said otherwise. The diary continued: “I lived… but away from you. Circumstances separated me from your mother. I watched you grow from a distance, never daring to come close, fearing it might hurt her. Every year on your birthday, I looked for your picture in the newspaper. I longed to speak to you, to hold you, but silence was the only gift I could offer.” Zoya’s eyes welled up. The man who was absent her whole life had been watching, loving, quietly present. As she flipped through the pages, she found poems—short verses written just for her. One read. I watched you in silence, every day, My prayers bloomed where words could not stay. Couldn’t speak, couldn’t cry, Just a father… lost in time.” Each page carried the weight of years that had gone by, heavy with the love of a father who remained in the shadows. The Final Clue Zoya read the diary every night, drawn into her father’s hidden world. On the last page, she found an address: Daroghawala Graveyard, and a date — 15 March 2023. That was just two days away. On the appointed day, Zoya left early in the morning and went to the graveyard. As she walked through the rows of silent graves, her eyes stopped at one freshly covered with flowers. A small plaque read. Ahmed Raza – Father of Zoya. Her knees gave way. She knelt by the grave, tears streaming down her face. In that moment, she understood it all. The old man who gave her the diary had delivered her father’s final message. He had only days left to live—and wanted her to know the truth before he was gone. A New Journey Begins. After that day, Zoya’s life was never the same. She left her job at the library and began writing a book. She titled it "The Final Message." In it, she included her father’s diary, his poems, and the story of how a daughter came to know her lost father through ink and emotion. The book touched thousands. It went viral. People from all walks of life wept reading it, sending her letters filled with prayers and love. But Zoya never sought fame. What mattered most was the peace she had finally found. She had known her father—not in life, but in truth. And she had shared his voice with the world. Because some love stories aren’t about presence. Some are about silent prayers, unwritten words, and one final message.

father’s love never dies no matter how much time passes.

THE END