About Leaving and Being Left
Lately, I have witnessed many partings, be they temporary or forever. While I know leaving and being left are never easy tasks, I think that is just how the universe tries to seek balance. So, eventually, we will experience both in our lives. Some partings are hard, while others might happen without a trace. Some partings are planned, while others are spontaneous. Neither of them is easy to come by. As someone who decided to leave, I feel like I was left behind at times, too. I've seen how much people can change in less than a month, while I feel I haven't changed at all. While a month can feel long and tough from your perspective, from the outside, changes come rapidly. I still remember how, at almost every annual meeting during Eid al-Fitr, some of my long-distance relatives would say, “ wah sudah besar aja kamu, nggak kerasa ya (wah, you have grown up so fast).” I used to think it was just small talk to break the ice; it turns out it can be that fast. Rea...
