Dear Khaulah,
Salaam. How are you doing, baby girl? Sorry haven't been writing to you for quite sometime again. Within a blink, now you are already 4 years and 4 months old. Alhamdulillah, praise be to Allah who sent you to us to cool our eyes and adding warmth to our hearts. No matter what happens, know that we will always love you, Khaulah, for the sake of Allah.
Within this lifetime, encounters are bound to happen. People, places, things, atmosphere and so on are the things that we come across that changes us, or be changed by us, for the better or for the worse. And 'people' of course, are usually the most significant. Sometimes, it is these important encounters that later changes our course of life. If we study the lives of the greats, we will learn that behind their greatness are some unnamed or unknown people who played an important role in their strength and success just like Charlie Munger to Warren Buffet, or Syeikh Ahmad bin Ismail to Muhammad al-Fateh, or Nuruddin Zanki to Salahuddin al-Ayyubi and so on.
While the names above are the examples of the people who sparked a large fire of change, in fact, everyone we meet are learning mediums for us be it our classmates, the cleaners, teachers, gardeners etc.
I too have known people who were an important encounter to me, and also those who inspired me to do better, be steadfast, strong and persevere.
As every beginning have its ending, the rising sun will also set, day will become night, a salaam during a meeting will also followed by the parting salaam. It's just sad that some of these partings were sudden, often without farewells. But hey, perhaps somewhen somewhere somehow someday we will meet again. And to those who I'm on the same road on, please be unyielding on this path. So that we will meet again in a far far better place insyaAllah.
If perhaps in my lifetime I never got the chance to say thank you to everyone I ever met, if it don't burden you so much, please tell them that I am so grateful that they are a part of my life, building up a person who I ever was. First and foremost my parents, siblings and relatives. Then the friends who no matter how long we didn't meet or talk, since primary or middle school, since uni or since the last time I was at work or in any NGO's I've ever in, or any other encounters which were maybe too short to realize or remember, I just want to say : Thank You.
And you too, Khaulah. Thanks for being the best! Not to forget the love of my life, your mom.
Remember, you are always one of two things. If you can't institute change for the better, at least don't become influenced to become less than a person who you're capable of.
Loving you to the moon and back,
Ayah.
