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| Travel To USA. Source : ichsanmarifat.blogspot.com private property. |
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| Me, Mom, Dad and My Big Sisters Photo Together taken by My Brother. Source : ichsanmarifat.blogspot.com private property. |
The memories of that trip to the United States of America remain etched in my mind, a bittersweet recollection of a time when our family of six embarked on a journey that would forever weave threads of joy and sorrow into the tapestry of our lives. It was a celebration, a pilgrimage to honor my sister's achievement—the culmination of her hard work and dedication—her graduation from Brandeis University.
As we left behind the familiarity of home in Makassar, Indonesia, a sense of anticipation filled the air. Our group comprised my parents, my grandfather, my uncle, my older brother, my older sister—the very person we were celebrating—and myself. We were united by the common purpose of honoring the milestone achieved by my sister, the first among us to don the graduation gown and cap.
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| Selfie in Times Square New York. source : ichsanmarifat.blogspot.com private property. |
The voyage itself was a marvel, an odyssey that spanned continents and time zones. Over the course of more than 24 hours, we navigated the skies, traversing from Makassar to Singapore, then onward to Germany before finally descending upon the bustling city of Los Angeles. From there, we embarked on a final leg of our journey, reaching the heartland of Oklahoma, where Brandeis University stood as a beacon of knowledge and accomplishment.
The graduation ceremony itself was a cascade of emotions, a mixture of pride, happiness, and a looming sense of change. My sister's smile illuminated the stage as she received her diploma, and in that moment, I could feel the collective heartbeat of our family. We had crossed oceans and continents, endured countless hours of travel, all to witness this accomplishment.
Yet, amid the celebrations, there lingered a shadow of sadness, a quiet ache that nestled itself within my heart. This beautiful memory was painted with the hues of happiness, but it was underscored by the awareness that moments like these are fleeting. The joy of the occasion was tinged with the reality that life moves forward, pulling us along different paths.
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| Selfie at airport. source : ichsanmarifat.blogspot.com private property |
I remember the bittersweet moments—the laughter shared during meals, the exploration of unfamiliar streets, the pride in my sister's achievements. And as the days passed, I became acutely aware of the preciousness of these shared experiences. The plane rides, the landmarks, the foreign landscapes—these were not just part of the journey, but a representation of the transient nature of our togetherness.
In the years that followed, life took its course. Distances stretched, responsibilities shifted, and our family found itself spread across continents. The once-united unit now existed in fragments, connected by memories and love but separated by the inevitability of time.
And so, this memory remains a treasured one—a testament to the beauty of shared experiences, the sweetness of togetherness, and the sadness that accompanies the passage of time. In celebrating my sister's achievement, we inadvertently celebrated our unity, our bond as a family. It's a memory that brings both smiles and tears, a reminder that life's most beautiful moments often carry within them the seeds of longing and sorrow.