Srinagar, July 1 -- It has been five years since my father Abdul Rehman Khanday passed away. Yet, his absence never learned how to stay still.

It moves through my days. It sits across from me. I still turn, at times, half-expecting to see him where I know he isn't. Some people go, but they do not leave.

My father lived without ceremony. His life had weight, but no noise. He spoke the truth, even when it unsettled people. Some misunderstood his words, but no one who knew him doubted his heart. He didn't know how to be dishonest. His words could be sharp, but his soul was light. He was not a man who carried bitterness.

At home, his love lived in the small things. He didn't just provide; he stayed. On long exam nights, when my siblings an...