The Narratives – Mohamed Miah

If there’s one thing that has shaped me more than anything else, it’s loss. Any kind of loss—whether of people, pride, or even parts of myself—has forced me to grow in ways I never expected.

Loss humbles you. It strips away the illusion of control, the fake armour you build around yourself, thinking it’s defence when, in reality, it’s just ego. I’ve lost loved ones along the way, and each time, it’s felt like a part of me was carved out, leaving behind a space that never quite fills. But within that emptiness, I’ve found resilience.

The loss of pride was another turning point. I used to think strength meant holding my ground no matter what. But life has a way of breaking you down until you realise that true strength isn’t in never falling—it’s in knowing when to kneel, when to listen, and when to let go. The same goes for aggression. Once, it felt like a weapon, a way to protect myself from the world. But I’ve come to understand that patience—especially the kind learned through fatherhood and family—is the real test.

And then there’s the deeper loss, the kind that lingers from childhood. Trauma forced me to grow up quickly, to navigate a world that wasn’t always kind. It shaped my perspective, made me question everything, and pushed me to find meaning in faith, in reflection, and in the quiet moments that matter.

If loss has humbled me, then faith has rebuilt me. It has been my anchor when I was weak, my light when I was lost, and my strength when I had none left to give.

Faith isn’t just belief—it’s the quiet force that carries you when everything else fails. When I’ve been ill, when struggles have weighed me down, when I’ve questioned my own resilience, faith has stepped in. It has reminded me that there is wisdom in hardship, that patience is rewarded, and that nothing in this world happens without purpose.

Alhamdulillah, faith has taken me beyond what I thought I was capable of. It has softened me where I needed gentleness, steeled me where I needed resilience, and humbled me when ego tried to take control. It has taught me that true strength isn’t about winning every battle.

Growth isn’t something you chase. It finds you in the wreckage, in the things you never wanted to lose but had to let go of anyway. And when you come out the other side, you realise you’re still standing—maybe different, maybe scarred, but stronger for it. And faith taught me about trusting that every test is a lesson, every hardship is temporary, and every fall is a chance to rise again, rise with more clarity, more wisdom, and rise with a heart that beats with gratitude.