When Wishes Wait Too Long

On 3rd September 2025, I was admitted to Hochtaunus clinic due to a diverticulitis flare-up. The days here have been quiet, filled with recovery and reflection. Tomorrow, I am expected to be discharged.

But what I will carry with me from this stay is not just my recovery — it is the story of the man who shared this room with me, Mr. Ben Taher.

He is around 80 years old, originally from Morocco. Half a century ago, he came to Germany in search of work. He built a life here, raised five children — three sons and two daughters — all of whom are now settled and doing well in Germany. His wife, who had been his companion through all these years, passed away about a decade ago.

As he spoke, I felt the weight of a life lived between responsibilities and wishes.

He told me that he always wanted to return to Morocco. In the beginning, he postponed it to save money. Later, he managed to build a large house back home, but by then, his wife wanted to stay longer so their children could have better education and careers. The years passed, one after another, with the wish of “going back” always postponed for tomorrow.

But tomorrow never came.

When the children grew and flourished, his health — and his wife’s — declined. His wife fell seriously ill and eventually passed away. Now, he himself is unwell, spending most of his time alone at home while his children remain busy in their own lives. Sitting in this hospital bed, he still whispers of one last wish: to die in Morocco, not here in Hochtaunus clinic.

Today, as I prepare to leave, I saw sadness in his eyes. He spoke more than usual, perhaps knowing that soon the silence of the hospital room will return. His loneliness struck me deeply.

His story is not just his own. It is a mirror. It reflects how life can slip away while we wait for the “right moment.” We push our wishes into the future, convinced that someday we will have the perfect time, the perfect health, the perfect circumstances. But often, that “someday” never arrives.

I realize now that unfulfilled wishes are not only about places left unseen or goals left unreached. They are about the silence of regret that lingers in the heart.

As I walk out of this clinic tomorrow, healthier than when I entered, I will carry Mr. Ben Taher’s words with me: Don’t let your wishes wait too long. Life will not always pause for you.

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- Saurav