What If I Missed It? — Choosing to Show Up

On Sunday evening, 19th April 2026, while I was in the second week of my annual leave, I was mostly offline and barely using social media. During those days, I had disconnected from the usual online world, not knowing that an important message was waiting for me.

It wasn’t until Monday night, when I finally went back online, that everything changed. As I opened my WhatsApp, I was flooded with messages—but one in particular caught my attention. It was from Ibrahim, the SPA Learning Lab director.

I immediately opened the chat and began reading quickly. In the middle of the message, one sentence stood out to me: “We want to make you encouraged and motivated.” I paused, smiled, and felt something shift inside me. Then a question came to my mind almost instantly: Mariam, what if you had missed this invitation?

That thought alone was enough. Without hesitation, I confirmed my attendance and apologized for the delay. That night, he wasn’t online, so I couldn’t reach him. The next morning, I called him, apologized again, and we agreed to meet on Thursday afternoon.

From that moment, I found myself reflecting deeply on my journey—my experiences with blogging and research, my progress, and where I was heading. It was a mix of excitement and thoughtful reflection. Time moved quickly, and soon, Thursday arrived—the day of the big meeting.

The night before, I prepared by writing notes on my phone and went to bed early. On Thursday morning, the weather in Mogadishu suddenly changed, and heavy rain began to fall. For a moment, I worried that the meeting might not happen. But around 11:30 AM, the rain stopped, and I felt relieved and grateful.

I prepared myself an hour before the meeting and headed to the SPA office with Bachach. As soon as I knocked on the door, my phone rang. It was Ibrahim.“Mariam,” he said, “it’s raining today—can you still come?” I smiled and replied, “I’m already in the building. I’m just about to enter your office.”

After greeting the security guard, I went straight to the SPA Learning Lab office—the same place where this opportunity had first reached me. After a warm welcome and some light conversation, we moved upstairs to the meeting room.

There, we met Ustaad Farhan Isak, the deputy director of SPA and research director, who welcomed us warmly. He said, “You kept time—we thought you might not come because of the rain.” Confidently, I replied that the research course had taught me time management. Shortly after, Ustaad Mahad Wasuge, the director of SPA, joined us.

Ibrahim officially opened the meeting and introduced me as part of the third cohort of blog writing and research training. The purpose of the meeting was to reconnect, share updates, and offer encouragement and support.

As we exchanged ideas and reflections, I shared my current progress. The team offered valuable advice so meaningful that it’s hard to measure its impact. We agreed on continuing the journey with renewed focus and commitment.

One moment that truly stayed with me was when Mahad (SPA director) shared his experience. As a blogger of over 12 years, he said that "blogging is not only about specific situations or big topics; it can come from daily thoughts and simple observations." He even gave examples from his own writing, like https://shorturl.at/PXMaJ and https://shorturl.at/Zc0AJ

That idea challenged my perspective. I had always believed that blogging depended on having a strong or special topic. But in that moment, I realised that creativity and consistency matter even more.

Ustaad Farhan added to this by emphasising the importance of strengthening research skills. He explained how blogging and research are deeply connected—and that reading is essential for both, among others.

By the end of the meeting, I felt encouraged, supported, and proud of how far I had come. They appreciated my progress and assured me of their continued support, promising to include me in future opportunities and activities. The meeting ended with joy, gratitude, and a renewed sense of direction.

And as I reflected on everything, one thought stayed with me:

Sometimes, the opportunities that shape our journey come quietly—while we are offline, distracted, or unsure. But what truly matters is recognising them when they appear… and choosing to show up.