July Comes to a Close

I wrote this in July last year and never got around to posting it. Reading it again now I realise it still holds, so here it is, a little late.

July is finally coming to an end and it feels like I have lived several different lives in just one month. It began with the MALEAD programme where MASCA student leaders from all over Australia gathered together. There is something about being around young leaders that leaves me inspired. They come with stories, ideas and an energy that fills the room. Watching them connect and share reminded me why I do this work and why these moments matter.

From there I flew to Brisbane for the Muafakat Games and it was a completely different experience. The energy was louder, brighter, full of cheers and laughter echoing across the fields and halls. Seeing everyone come together like that made me feel like I was part of a much bigger family, far from home but still somehow at home. I caught myself smiling in between the busy moments, soaking in the warmth of that community.

Then came the official visit to Darwin with Her Excellency and Hawa. The pace shifted. The air felt calmer and the days were more reflective. There were official meetings and duties to carry out but in between them were small pauses where I realised how unusual and meaningful this life has become. Traveling for work can be tiring but it also leaves you with moments that stay in your memory long after the schedules are done.

I returned to Perth briefly, long enough to sink back into regular work. The desk, the emails, the familiar rhythm of the office all felt grounding after weeks of moving around. It did not last long. Soon I was back in the air again, this time to Sydney for team building and strategic planning with the rest of the team.

That trip carried a weight I did not feel before. It finally sank in that Hawa and Kak Dayang have finished their term. The next time I come to Sydney they will not be there anymore. The laughter, the small moments over coffee, the warmth they brought to every visit are now just memories. I am happy for them and proud of what they have done but I cannot help feeling the quiet sadness of this chapter closing. Sydney will never feel quite the same again.

July has been a whirlwind of airports, hotel rooms, meetings and memories. I am exhausted but also deeply grateful. If this month has taught me anything it is that life moves fast and some moments only happen once. The people we meet along the way leave their mark and even when the journey continues they stay in our story.

P.S. Already missing Hawa and Kak Dayang and carrying the soft echo of July with me into August.