The First Half of This Year.

2024....

Hey you, the one reading this, are you even aware that you're already half way through this year? Yeah me too...

Yup, just like that,  50% of a new year is almost complete. Time is indeed showing us no mercy yeah? Do you even notice that everything is evolving & changing aligned with the terrifying speed of the time? And the most petrifying thing about it is that, do you actually realize that time does have all the answers to your unthinkable & unexpected questions?

The first half of this year in all honesty is a doleful one. April to be specific, was the hardest. Yeah April, I know, the month where we're supposed to commemorate & appreciate the meaning of forgiveness and reconciliation. Throughout 25 years of breathing, April 2024 turned out to be the saddest & the most impactful month for me, personally. Too many questions were answered. In a nick of time, one after another, time was telling. In that month, I experienced my very first & by far the biggest lost in my entire life. I didn't know that it will be this hard to lose someone whom I used to call "Opah".

"Opah, this is me Iqmal. Well, just wanna tell you that eversince your departure, everything has been so different. You know, it's just not the same as how it used to be. Going back to Ipoh feels kinda gloomy these days. But it's okay Opah, I'm still learning to accept & adapt. I think that is what's best for all of us, including you right? I miss you so much. Thank you Opah, for everything that you've done to me & to our family. We hope to make you smile always up there. Iqmal sayang opah...."

Al-Fatihah to Opah. 

Sorry for taking your time to read what I just narrated. So yeah, that was what happened in April 2024. From her loss, I've learned a lot. To accept changes & to accept our destiny also, to always be ready cause time will indeed tell. It's all about how prepared we are.

So, other than the departure of Opah, I tore my ligament...

"Just you know that as I'm writing this blog right now, I'm literally relying on crutches to walk."

A good way to end the first half of this year huh? I'm finally able to understand how devastating it feels to have a long rest from playing your favorite sport or even doing any sport tbh. Gosh, it's torturing.

Work-life? Y'all know that I don't really talk about my work-life publicly. I'd say the second year of working has been so far showing me the true meaning of what my work is all about. The thing about work "life, generally", is that we'll never stop learning something new. Nevertheless, I'm beyond happy to be at my workplace, to be surrounded with kind-hearted colleagues & my beloved students. You all are wonderful.

The last highlight of my first half of 2024 is "idk why, but" watching Dune: Part Two. I know, you're all gonna be like "Watching a movie is one of your biggest highlights of the year so far?". Yeah it is. You can actually tell how dull my year has been so far, ikr. But for real, people, lemme tell you, Dune Part Two is not only a movie or a story, it's an epic cinematic experience. Everything about it was beautiful & perfect. As someone who studied English literature, I can appreciate how well-adapted the movie version is from the novel one. In other words, watching Dune Part Two is like reading a live novel. I'm not joking but Paul Atreides might be one of my favorite fictional character of all time. The last time I had these kind of feelings for a movie was back in 2018. Yeah, it was the year where my favorite movie of all time was released, Infinity War. Yup, Dune Part Two is for me, by far the best movie ever post 2020. And their trilogy might be one of the best trilogies of all time. Mark my words. Went to watch the movie on IMAX twice & only God knows how many times I've watched it online just in case you wanna know how good the movie is to me.

So yeah, that's my first half of the year so far. Idk, It's been tough tbh. I literally had the best version of myself a year ago  & now I'm here trying to cope with how time is changing everything. I guess that's what life is. There will be days where you're on top of Mount Everest & there will also be days where you're gonna be lost somewhere at the Cape of Good Hope and yes, the only thing that you have there at the end is, hope. All in all, these past 6 months have been teaching me to always be prepared for what's about to come because time will tell. Surely.

Takecare. - A.

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