My journey.......

As I walk this journey as a bereaved parent, i noticed my whole world changed. My beliefs aren't the same. My priorities weren't the same and my future was changed forever. My whole life was shattered and i didn't know where to begin to pick up the pieces or if i had the will to pick up the pieces.

Everyone around me, although very attentive to me, continued functioning in their own lives. I didn't know where i fit in any more. I was alone... trying to figure out what happened in that split second, when they told me Maryam was gone.

I noticed the silence of people not mentioning Maryam's name or her life was deafening to me. There were no stories about her anymore. It was like out of sight, out of mind. I wondered what this world was doing to me. My daughter lived. She was a part of my life. I had dreams for her. She was my future. I was so frightened that everyone would forget her.

I needed other people to say my Maryam's name again. I needed to say her name and tell stories about her. I could not stand the thought of going through the rest of my life not ever hearing or saying her name again.

I knew then that part of my survival was going to involve keeping the memory of my daughter alive.