How do I say Goodbye to a Home full of Memories…

When my parents mentioned their plans to leave Dubai, a plethora of emotions fought for my attention.

The news filled me with a kind of emptiness, sadness and grief. Because although I knew it would not be our home forever, I was not prepared for this now. And did not know how to bid farewell to a home that holds a huge volume of memories; many of our tears and smiles and so much history and sweet memories.

Its the only home that’s been with me, ever since I remember. For the past 35 years.

We’ve parted ways before, but it was only temporary.

When I left home for college, when I got married and moved several miles away. But yet it remained a safe place for me to land and continued to be my dated haven.

Oh, but this time it’s different.

This time, when my parents close the door behind them for the last time, they are leaving behind a lifetime of memories forever. And the next time I visit my parents, it will be in a house that holds very limited history for me. My grandparents house is special, but will never hold the same warmth and familiarity than our Dubai home, ever.

If the walls in that home could speak, it could tell you so many of my childhood memories:

This is the home where I was my little- self and grew into my adolescent self, and my adult-self.

The home where I stuck posters all over the wall that mum would relentlessly pull out..

Where I left eyeliner marks on the bathroom towels..

Where I would push all the canes dad had behind the cupboard to avoid getting beatings..

The corridors where we played with kids who were Arabs, Indians, Pakistanis, Palestinians and Lebanese..

My bedroom where I tossed and turned; the kitchen counter where I sat to eat my food..

The bathroom where I would sneak in few extra minutes of sleep when I was pushed to wake up and start going..

The room where bro & I fought as well as shared our deepest secrets..

Parents bedroom where we would sit around on the bed sharing stories, problems and just being a family..

Jumping through the bedroom windows to sneak the phone while mum and dad went outside..

The balcony where I would empty milk into plant pots..

The guest bathroom where I’ve flushed so many kinds of food that I did not like to eat..

My bedroom where when cousins came over was packed and each person had their own space in the room and we would talk, laugh and play (a time when no one had a mobile, iPad or any other gadget)..

The living room where so many guests and family members gathered around for any event- birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas, New Year, Easter!

It’s the house that hosted so many men and women of God. And this house is where we got saved, and committed our lives to serve the Lord all the days of our lives.

How can I possibly say goodbye to all those memories?

This house has been a part of our every celebration. And has welcomed every new member who’s entered our family: my husband, my sister in law, my son and my little niece.

Our house was not huge, it was not too fancy either. We did not own it. But it was special. It wasn’t just made of bricks and mortar. It was more than furniture, rugs, counter tops, and paint colors – its foundation and core was built out of love, memories, relationships, feelings, and emotions.

It’s time to bid farewell. But I don’t know how. I am not crying but there’s a sense of emptiness and ache. But I know that soon, another family will move in and another story will rewrite our memories. I only pray that the next family moving in will be as content and blessed as we were in that space.

Karama Shopping Complex, A-24, thank you for the sweetest memories.
You will be fondly missed ❤

All I can think right now, is to make our current home today, one that is filled with a collection of feelings, emotions, and memories that one day will evoke the same kind of nostalgic and bittersweet sentiments in my kid and grand kids!