The Narratives – Mohamed Miah

Tell us about the last thing you got excited about.

The last time I truly felt excited wasn’t about me at all, it was about my daughter.

It’s funny how life changes when you’re a parent. Your victories don’t feel the same anymore. The joy you once chased in promotions, new jobs, or material things becomes secondary. What really makes your heart race is seeing your child win.

For my daughter, it started with her first job. Like so many young people, she was up against rejection after rejection. Each “no” made her doubt herself, but as her dad I knew it was only a matter of time.

Then came an interview, but it clashed with our family holiday. I remember calling the place myself, speaking to the manager and saying: “Please give her this opportunity. She won’t let you down.”

A few days after her interview, an email arrived, she got the job! I can’t describe the feeling. Me and my wife ran into her room, woke her up, and covered her in a big sloppy kiss.

Later she told me the manager had said in the interview, “Your dad said you won’t let me down.” In that moment, I realised she hadn’t just carried herself into that job—she carried me too. My words, my faith in her, became part of her success.

Then came her college enrolment. She knew exactly what courses she wanted, but the careers advisor tried steering her in another direction.

I pulled her aside and said, “Don’t compromise. If you go home with something you don’t want, you’ll lose motivation.” We spoke up, pushed back, and she walked out enrolled in the exact courses she dreamed of. On the way home, she was beaming. That smile, it was pure unfiltered happiness.

And that’s what it’s about. Her happiness is mine. Her achievements feel better than anything I will ever earn for myself.

This is what legacy really is. Not what I leave behind in my name, but in the lives of my children. Their growth, their joy, their victories, that’s the part of me that will live on.

Because at the end of the day, a happy daughter equals a very happy dad.

And that’s the secret of contentment, finding joy not in what you take for yourself, but in the smiles you leave on the faces of those you love most.