Life is strange. The first 17 years of your life is designed for you. First the nursery, then kindergarten and off you go to primary school for 6 years, before secondary school for 5 more years.
The last year of secondary school, you’re aching to leave school, to leave the bloody system you are trapped in, to pursue your dreams, and my oh my the dreams your heart contained at 17!
The stubbornness, the teenage determination, the hopes that soar so high.
Then you start discovering that life isn’t linear anymore. You age. Your dreams remain as dreams. Your friends start having partners, or getting married, or having kids. They finish their degrees, then masters. They travel to different countries. Take up different skills.
And you look into the mirror and only see your failures and how much you have yet to achieve and how far this journey will be for you. Life after high school has been one hell of a bumpy ride.
But the other day I thought of a dream life, and here I am, living it. I am living my dream life, is that wild to say? It sounds so impossible sometimes, and strange to be able to admit it to myself, too. “You’re here, Aisyah. You’re here, love. Everything that you’ve ever wanted - just very much delayed.” Alhamdulillah.
I realized that success shouldn’t be measured against what others have accomplished, but rather, are my accomplishments the best that I’ve been able to do so far?
And if your answer is yes, that you’re on the path of being the best version of yourself, then hey, you’re on the right path after all. That’s your success.
(p.s. I suddenly feel a surge of inspiration! a monthly favourites coming soon in shaa Allah! xx)
