The day has finally come: I will be leaving early this morning to the US. Most people have been asking for details so here it is:
My port of entry will be via Seattle - so after a short transit at Narita Airport, I will be staying in Seattle with a friend for a couple of days. It will be an interesting adjustment. I have a list of places to go - and to visit the very first Starbucks is a must! And you may never know: I might just bump into Death Cab For Cuties :)
I then have a pre-academic assignment with the other Fulbright scholars from all over at Portland, Oregon for a week. There will be lots of networking. I heard that Portland is beautiful.
Finally, I will reach Boulder, Colorado before the end of the month to start my school term and my life as a full-time student again. Can't wait :)
I wish to thank all friends who had graciously hosted me for breakfast, brunch, lunch, tea, dinner, supper etc ... for the last month and a half. My family was lamenting about how busy I was everyday being out and about, but I was indeed grateful for the many wonderful friends I have who wished to spend private moments with me. There are still those whom I did not manage to fit into my schedule, and I deeply apologise.
As with many journeys in life, this is not a goodbye or the end of our paths together. It is just a temporary separation of physical time, distance and place whilst I traverse on my own personal journey towards Him. We remain close as long as we remain in each other's prayers. I hope this journey will make me, and us, even stronger.
Forgive me for the things which I did, which I should not.
Forgive me for the things which I should have done, but did not.
"And these my mariners, who have heard the choir of the greater sea, they too have heard me patiently.
Now they shall wait no longer.
I am ready.
The stream has reached the sea, and once more the great mother holds her son against her breast.
Fare you well, people of Orphalese.
This day has ended.
It is closing upon us even as the water-lily upon its own tomorrow.
What was given us here we shall keep,
And if it suffices not, then again must we come together and together stretch our hands unto the giver.
Forget not that I shall come back to you.
A little while, and my longing shall gather dust and foam for another body.
A little while, a moment of rest upon the wind, and another woman shall bear me.
Farewell to you and the youth I have spent with you.
It was but yesterday we met in a dream.
You have sung to me in my aloneness, and I of your longings have built a tower in the sky.
But now our sleep has fled and our dream is over, and it is no longer dawn.
The noontide is upon us and our half waking has turned to fuller day, and we must part.
If in the twilight of memory we should meet once more, we shall speak again together and you shall sing to me a deeper song.
And if our hands should meet in another dream, we shall build another tower in the sky."
.. The Prophet, Kahlil Gibran
6 comments:
Thanks for all that you have done for us and being there for us. We do appreciate your many sacrifices and your absence will definitely be deeply felt.
On the bright side, thanks to the wonders of modern technology, we can still keep in touch regularly through the Internet (unlike many moons ago when I was a student overseas!)
Once again, here's wishing you a fabulous, enriching, fulfilling and blessed time abroad. We look forward to reading your adventures.
Semoga perjalananmu diberkati Allah swt. Dan moga2 kita dapat bertemu lagi jika ada kesempatan pada masa hadapan. =)
Farewell, my brother, fare thee well.
The elements be kind to thee, and make
Thy spirits all of comfort: fare thee well.
~William Shakespeare
fi amanillah.
astaudi'ukallah dinak, wa amanatak, wa khawatim 'amalik.
it has been an honour, Shaykh.
Salam ustaz,
Has there been a change of flight details? My other half said that you mentioned to him that you were departing on Friday.
Anyway, it's too late to bid farewell to you personally, so we will wish you via the cyberspace, the best endeavours and things that will happen to you in your life; and Allah swt will continue to guide you always, so that your light will shine forth and benefit others too.Amin.
Take care Ustaz!
We will remember you always in our prayers...Really glad that we are able to send u off at the airport tadi..Do take care of yourself k. Enjoy the learning journey ....
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