INSPIRATIONAL: "ONE YEAR ALREADY; THE JOURNEY BETWEEN PRAYER AND PROMISE" BY OLAALLAH

It's a year already.

I remember this day vividly.

The night before the day was me and me.

Leaning to the wall,

whispering my wish through the dark vapour

of my smelless incense.

Me with me,

in my white garment,

which had turned into my uniform for over six days.

Standing tall,

stretching for my forehead to reach the ceiling.

Probably, if I looked up to the sky,

the angels would see

and deliver my request.

I went on Rukū' as tears fell from my eyes.

In my Sujūd,

my sea had mixed with mucus,

as I was dumbfounded,

having a lot on my mind,

holding on to the tiny thread

of Tahajjud that night.

Till the day broke

and merriment began.

The day we wrote our last examination.

Our hearts were filled with both fear and hope.

We were eager to celebrate,

yet quietly anxious about what our results would be.

I remember the smiles on every face.

Congratulations came from every angle.

Statuses were filled with joy,

laughter,

and merriment.

I remember how special the meal for that day was.

Yet, even before we lifted our spoons,

our stomachs were already full of butterflies.

Today

I look back with gratitude.

Alhamdulillāhi Rabbil-'Ālamīn.

One chapter closed that day,

and another began.

The journey wasn't easy,

but Allah saw me through.

A year later,

I am reminded that every ending carries the seed of another beginning.

I believe one day,

one night,

the sun and the moon

will witness the day

I flip over this chapter too.

To my dream,

which took another route,

but is still aiming to get home

where dreams come true.

© OlaAllah 

- Nigeria 

"One Year Already" is a reflective and inspirational poem that recounts the poet's journey from a night of intense prayer before a significant life event to a year later, looking back with gratitude. The poem vividly portrays the emotional struggle, fear, and hope experienced during Tahajjud prayers on the eve of the writer's final examination. It contrasts the quiet desperation of that night with the joy and celebration that followed the completion of the exams.

A year later, the speaker acknowledges that although life has taken an unexpected path, Allah has remained faithful throughout the journey. The poem emphasizes gratitude, perseverance, and trust in divine timing, affirming that every ending marks the beginning of a new chapter. It concludes with a hopeful affirmation that the dream, though delayed and redirected, is still alive and moving toward its destined fulfillment.