It is not flesh and blood but the heart which makes us fathers and sons, brothers and sisters and we as a family are a strange little band of characters traipsing through life sharing illnesses and toothpaste, coveting one another's desserts, hiding shampoo, borrowing money, locking each other out of our rooms, inflicting pain and kissing to heal it in the same instant, loving, laughing, defending, and trying to figure out the common thread that binds us all together. But no matter how well we play all the above and unmentioned parts of our life, we also tend to take our family for granted and lightly.

Today, as I was lazily surfing channels I saw the theatrical trailer of Sammir’s latest film Mukhbiir. Seeing him portraying such a complex character with immense ease made me swell with pride. However, what gave me the chills were his eyes. Oh, what ability they had! They could terrorise like a loaded and levelled gun. They could offend like hissing or kicking, or in their assorted mood, by beams of kindness, they could make the heart dance with joy.

Up until yesterday, this was a kid I have seen growing up before me, and now, in an instant, I see that he is all grown up! A fool I was because in always looking at the larger picture of taking care of him, I had forgotten to observe little things in him.

Sam, I’m not taking you any lightly, or granted for that matter any longer, my younger brother hehehehe!