TAKING FLIGHT
I remember that feeling right before the last session, making coffee, rushing to set my laptop, get hand frees, water bottle, and register, warning my family that no one has to enter my room for the next 3 hours; that’s how my most Amal sessions started for last 3 months. But last Sunday, while doing all these chores there was this crushing feeling nagging me that this is the last time, I’m doing these same things in this particular order at this specific time.
The session started and Sir Rizwan made sure to make us let lose those emotions we were holding on tightly with much difficulty by saying, “do you guys realize this is the very last time we all are here together at the same time and it won’t be happening ever again”. 😢
Well, if I’m being honest, a part of me wanted this to an end since the stress of managing fellowship work with university work was getting a bit too much to handle but when it actually was the ending time, let’s just say that I didn’t like that overpowering feeling of sadness and emptiness enveloping me. And, at that very moment, I realized that NO I didn’t want this journey to end.
Unlike all the previous sessions, we didn’t have a particular online course to discuss in this session or some specific agenda we needed to stick to. We talked about a lot of things and one particular thing that got stuck in my mind is when we discussed “what is happiness”. I had always been blown away by my fellows’ stories and this time was no exception.
Then came the solving riddles activity and it’s almost impossible that I’d ever forgotten that certain activity. It was sooooo fun and we being divided into two different breakout teams and also allocating teams to sir Saad and sir Rizwan just enhanced the fun four times. It was so fun interacting with fellows in the breakout room for one last time and solving those riddles and the discussion or more like arguments that followed the activity was just cherry on the top. 😍🤣
We had this super amazing habit of listening to music during breaks (courtesy of our super amazing and cool facilitators 😜💕). In the last session, our PM played “channa mereya” and I think it’s safe to say it was the very last time I heard that song. I won’t be able to hear it again without experiencing those overflowing emotions that I felt at that very moment. Then we had this really fun activity of guessing our fellows from their childhood pictures. That really helped lighten the mood.
Ah finally then came the last part of the session saying final goodbyes. And I will ALWAYS remember and cherish each and every word that our facilitators said to us that day. I will not repeat anything because that will just ruin the essence of that. It was the longest session of the fellowship but still, I wasn’t ready even a bit to say goodbye. But has time ever stopped for anyone? Like every beautiful journey, this Amal journey was also destined to end. ❤
I’m proud of the person I now am after this fellowship. This has changed me and impacted me in more ways than I ever could’ve imagined. Amal is literally the best thing that happened to me in 2020. It might be the end of this fellowship but AMAL will ALWAYS be a part of me. The things that I’ve learned, the interactions and conversations I had with my fellows and facilitators will always live in my heart (rent-free I might add😉).
This has been an amazing journey! With an intense and overwhelming nostalgic feeling rushing over me and with a very heavy heart… Goodbye Amal! 💕
Adios
With great love, for the very last time!
Alexa! play Memories-Maroon 5 🥂🌸💕
