This post is about my Jubilee Arts (a Diamond Jubilee initiative) submission. I am sharing below the photo and summary I submitted for JA.
With a very heavy heart, I had to accept that I did not go to the International Arts and ended up losing in the Nationals. Anyways, one can't have everything.
So here we go...
"Captured 38,000 feet above sea level somewhere between Tanzania and Kenya in 2015, this image is one of my most profound clicks. On December 1st 2016, my father’s first birthday since his passing, I dedicated this image to him!
Since the age of 5, travelling has been my greatest desire and passion. To wander the world admiring the marvels of the Creator has brought immense happiness, peace and moments of reflection. Floating above the clouds, I found myself lost in a multitude of overcharged emotions that compelled me to capture myself in that moment in time, forever.
On 18thJune 2016, my father passed away some 20 minutes after I had a telephone conversation with him. I travelled to Uganda early next morning and he was buried on 21stJune. Many told me back then that time is the greatest healer of all and I will eventually learn to move on and forget; it has been 628 days today and the memory of each moment, from me learning he has gone till the flower I put on top of the grave, is fresh and alive!
Going through his things in the days following the funeral, I found an old Kodak camera and some dusty photos of him and his travels. I recognized the glimmer in his eyes, which I feel, is always reflected in my heart when I travel. That day, I realized that my eye for photography and love for travelling are actually a part of the many things Dad left for me, they are his legacy to me.
Every time I look at the image today, it reminds me of just how important time, especially the present moment, is!
I captured this when I was travelling from Dar es Salaam to Mombasa to serve in Global Encounters as a logistics support member. GE is without a doubt one of the best things that I have been a part of. A month before GE, I also got my first real job in Tanzania. This was a time when life began to teach me the difference between earning things rather than just getting them; a time when I was going to be away from my parents once again and that is tremendously difficult, even for a wanderer like myself.
I captured this when I was travelling from Dar es Salaam to Mombasa to serve in Global Encounters as a logistics support member. GE is without a doubt one of the best things that I have been a part of. A month before GE, I also got my first real job in Tanzania. This was a time when life began to teach me the difference between earning things rather than just getting them; a time when I was going to be away from my parents once again and that is tremendously difficult, even for a wanderer like myself.
Today, I miss those years of my life deeply. When I was in Uganda, I would often tell Dad how bored I am and my ambitions to fly high and be something. I am getting there indeed Insha’Allah but the time I spent with both my parents like the Golden Jubilee of Mawlana Hazar Imam is forever engraved in my soul. I have taught myself how to smile in times of despair and my faith and devotion to the Imam keeps me moving forward, but the whispers of my soul within are loud and keep reminding me of what I have been through to get here, and the legacy, which I must uphold."
By the way, I do welcome comments and observations you may have, so feel free to email me!
Peace,
Champ!
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