A closure is essential.
Before leaving, I prefer to look back and take a last look. A kind of closure is necessary. This is my way, when going through every part of my life. It helps one move on smoothly to the next chapter of life. To answer the questions: Was this year good? Bad? Awful? Or a bit of everything?
How to wrap up?
How to wrap up? What do you think? As you might have noticed, I’m always talking about my life, but then I don’t know about yours. So, mine becomes a yard stick. Naturally, you will be making parallels with your own.
Here are a few ways:
- Time wise.
- Key Moments, Milestones, and Takeaways
Time wise
Choose what suits you best. No need to do both types, just skim over the year time wise, then note the key moments, milestones and take aways.
Three monthly semester system wise
Divide the year into four parts, with each three months. Like the semester system. How’s that? Then see how each set of months passed e.g. Jan to Mar, Apr to Jun, Jul to Sept, and now Oct to Dec.
Half and half – six monthly
Otherwise, we can do this; How was the first half of this year, like the first six months?
As I look back – for the life of me – I cannot remember anything! I’ll need to check my weekly plans.
How were the second six months?
That I remember, with the arrival of Nataliya and Anya, it becomes my highlight of the year. My vlogs are a complete diary.
Overall, I feel life has been more than just plain good. Alhamdulillah!
Simple.
Key Moments, Milestones, and Takeaways
Key moments
Which was my greatest moment this year?
Received my coveted MBA Degree
So, this year my key moment was when I received my MBA (HRM) degree. Nothing can beat that. My coveted MBA degree, is the greatest take away of all! It completed a journey that began with my EMBA degree received in 2008 in Karachi. Then, my mentor Dr. Feroza Ahmad suggested, that I can convert it into a regular MBA degree, by studying more semesters to complete the required credit hours, in the required subjects. So, I did precisely that!
Flew through all but one
Mainly, I flew through all of the subjects which I really liked. Actually, my ‘Shireen’s Studio’ is the project I chose for my Entrepreneurship. That’s what I’ve been working on. I’ve gone and applied most of the knowledge I gained during my studies. I loved each one of the subjects, and got an A or B in all.
Financial Accounting was the pain
Yes, there was one subject, that proved why I didn’t only flunk in the subject. But had been flunking in this subject, all my life too. I mean, in real life. It was a weakness of mine that was diagnosed through my studies.
So, I went ahead, and I finally, passed in it. (Thanks to my class fellow Irfan, who took great pains and many hours to explain the chapters to me.)
Life came in between
Then, I got busy with marriage of my second daughter Nadiya, trip to US, Out of Court Settlement with my in-laws, and then I lost my father, I got cancer, lost my mother and had knee surgery due to which I couldn’t get my degree. Finally, I’ve been able to get it now. It was thrilling to see my results now. So, I’ve got 3.01 GPA.
Happy ending
I’m thrilled. When I started, my MBA evening program, I had no idea, I’d be losing my husband to cancer within a few semesters. I’d be going through the most horrific times of my life too. It was my Preston University which gave me a scholarship when I had no funds, and converted the classes to distant learning, so that I could continue with my studies. Then, once I had settled my finances, I began paying my fees again. Thank goodness, I had been doing well enough to qualify for the scholarship.
Dr. Feroza Ahmad
She was wife of an Air Marshal Ahmad, who had passed away. She was head of Department at Preston University. Somehow, we got very close. I had great admiration for her.
It was Dr. Feroza Ahmad who was my greatest strength during those tough times, when my husband was ill. She knew what I was going through, and said, ‘Take the greatest care of your husband, but don’t leave your studies either.’ Had it not been for her, this degree wouldn’t have happened, because I wanted to leave my studies when my husband got admitted in hospital. She was my courage and strength all the way. May Allah grant her even higher places in heaven for the role she played in my life alone.
Of course, there have been many folks during this time, who helped me through.
I think, this degree, deserves a separate blog. I’ll be doing that. How to do an MBA or get a degree of your dreams in your senior years, while going through innumerable challenges. Actually, I just loved the classes, the assignments and studies. Simply because I’ve been writing regularly all these years since I was in my late twenties and bringing up my babies.
Reading has been a hobby all my life. Perhaps this is why, I was able to do it. In spite of the challenges.
Enough about me. What was your key moment of this year? Do share in the comments.
Milestones:
My Podcasts in my YouTube Channel
It’s been my dream to have podcasts. I do have followers and subscribers who enjoy my podcasts. Of course, things could be better, but I’m still happy with what I’ve achieved so far. Since I’m almost the first one in my family to have a YouTube channel.
Take aways:
Which lessons have I learnt; usually, from the bad parts. This also includes all that we have learnt in a good sense too.
I guess the lessons we learn this year, would be our take aways into next year.
Let us just pray for a wonderful, peaceful life. More than that to hope for strength, courage, resilience, and lots of understandings.
