My daughter, Azkia, turned 17 last July. Looking back, I realized I had missed several years of writing birthday post for her. The last one I wrote was four years ago, on her 13th birthday. Since then, life has moved so quickly. Not suddenly, and yet somehow all at once.
In what feels like the blink of an eye, Azkia finished high school, graduated with flying color, began her A level, and just a few weeks ago, I accompanied her to register for driving lessons.
It is amazing how quietly time unfolds. One day, you are holding your little girl’s hand as she takes her first steps, and before you know it, she is taking big steps into adulthood.
My little baby is not a baby anymore.
Watching her grow has been one of the greatest privileges of my life. Every milestone reminds me that while the years may pass quickly, the memories and pride only grow stronger. At 17, she continues to amaze me with her determination, kindness and the young woman she is becoming. And although part of me misses the little girl she once was, an even bigger part of me is excited to see where life will take her next.
Leaving the Nest
And then the day finally came, the day she left her nest to see more of the world.
Since the summer of 2025, Azkia has been certain about her dream: she wants to pursue medicine and become a doctor. What impressed me most was not simply what she said, but how consistently she acted on that ambition. Her determination was evident in the choices she made and in every opportunity she pursued.
She even began helping at a clinic run by an acquaintance of mine every Sunday. The tasks were simple, mostly organizing medicines in the pharmacy, but she genuinely enjoyed every moment of it. It was inspiring to see how enthusiastic she was about even the smallest opportunities to learn about the medical profession.
One day, she told us that she wanted to spend part of her summer in 2026 participating in a medical volunteer programme. We explored opportunities in both Indonesia and Malaysia, hoping to find something suitable, but the options were surprisingly limited.
Then, almost by chance, we discovered several organizations offering structured volunteer programmes around the world in a variety of fields, including medicine. While participants were responsible for covering their own expenses, the programmes provided valuable opportunities to learn, contribute, and experience different cultures.
Among the many options available, one program in Sri Lanka immediately caught our attention. The program offered participants the opportunity to observe and learn about the work carried out in public hospitals. What made it particularly appealing was that it welcomed students like Azkia, who is currently studying at A-Level and does not yet have a formal medical background.
The program fee was also very reasonable. We were happy to cover the accommodation costs ourselves, knowing that the experience would be worthwhile. And, of course, there was another exciting aspect: Sri Lanka itself. None of us had ever been there before. The prospect of combining a meaningful learning experience with the chance to discover a new country made the opportunity even more special.
A few days before her departure, I have to admit that I was extremely nervous.
I had done multiple background checks on the organization and was confident that it was legit, but as a parent, there is always that lingering thought: what if something goes wrong? I even applied for my own Sri Lanka ETA and was prepared to book a flight at a moment’s notice if there was ever an emergency.
Azkia, on the other hand, was remarkably calm and completely ready for the adventure ahead. Whenever I expressed my concerns, she would simply smile and say, “It’s okay. It’s only two weeks, and we’ll see each other again very soon.”
And so, with a suitcase packed and dreams in her heart, she set off to explore the world beyond her nest.
We drove her to the airport on a beautiful Sunday morning. Unfortunately, we were running a little late, and the check-in queue was much longer than we expected. As a result, we had to skip breakfast at her favorite restaurant, something we had planned as our last little family moment before her departure.
Instead, we made our way quickly toward the departure gate. When the time came to say goodbye, I hugged her as tightly as I could while trying to hold back my tears.
She, however, was perfectly fine.
She walked confidently toward the immigration counter, never looking anxious or uncertain. As I watched her disappear into the crowd, I felt an overwhelming sense of pride. She was ready, and she knew it.
Later that same day, I decided to attend a baking class. I needed something to keep my mind occupied because I knew I would spend the entire day worrying about her otherwise.
The three-and-a-half-hour flight to Colombo felt much longer than it actually was. I kept checking my phone, waiting for news. When her message finally arrived, I felt an enormous sense of relief. She had landed safely, met the organization’s representative, and was already settling in.
Even better, she told me she had made a new friend: a 17-year-old girl from the UK who was also interested in studying medicine and joining the same programme.
It was only then that I finally relaxed.
At that moment, I knew she would be okay. She was safe, she was happy, and she was surrounded by good people. Most importantly, she was beginning a journey that she had dreamed about for so long, and I could not have been prouder.
The rest is history. Azkia thoroughly enjoyed her two weeks at Kandy Public Hospital, where she made new friends from around the world and proudly represented Southeast Asia as the only participant from the region. She took every opportunity to promote the beauty of Indonesia while warmly inviting everyone she met to visit both Malaysia and Indonesia.
She embraced life in Kandy so completely that she soon had a favorite restaurant, knew the best place to do her laundry, and even signed up for a local gym.
Two weeks later, we reunited and traveled around Sri Lanka together. We spent two days in Kandy, a city she could now proudly call her third home. She enthusiastically showed us her favorite places, shared her daily routines, and introduced us to the parts of the city that had become so special to her.
Sometimes, the most meaningful experiences begin with a single step into the unknown.
For Azkia, those two weeks in Kandy were about much more than observing life in a hospital. They were about independence, confidence, friendship, and discovering that the world is both bigger and kinder than she had imagined. What began as a dream to learn about medicine became a journey of personal growth.
As her parent, the experience taught me something too. Letting go is never easy. We spend years protecting our children, preparing them, and worrying about them. Yet, there comes a moment when we must trust that the values we have given them are enough.
Watching Azkia make a life for herself in a city thousands of kilometres from home, even for just two weeks, reminded me that she is no longer the little girl whose hand I once held. She is becoming her own person, capable, independent, and ready for whatever comes next.
And perhaps that is what parenting is all about: learning to loosen your grip, while never letting go of your love.
My little baby is not a baby anymore. And I could not be prouder, Alhamdulillah.
