"Zendagi Migzara" is a Persian phrase that translates to "Life goes on." If we just look at it on the surface, it might seem like a simple and cliché phrase. But to those who have lived through grief, struggle, and moments of unbearable uncertainty, these words carry a relief, that life, with all its beauty and chaos, does not stop for anyone. It moves forward, and so must we.

A Universal Truth

Life is unpredictable, isn't it? It tosses us into the deepest of waters, forcing us to swim even when we feel like sinking or don't even know how to swim or keep afloat. Whether it's a broken heart, the loss of a loved one, a failed dream, or the sheer weight of mundane existence, we all face moments when we feel like giving up, when we feel like our life will not move forward. There are moments when we feel so stuck that we think this is the end of it. In these moments, "Zendagi Migzara" becomes a mantra, a reminder that life will continue whether we are ready or not. It is a reminder that we will flow with time and that this, too, shall pass.

The Quiet Strength in Moving Forward

Recently, one of my close friends passed away in an accident. As someone who doesn’t have many friends, this loss feels more like the world has tilted, and it’s hard to find balance again. Some days, it feels impossible to believe he’s really gone, that we’ll never again share a laugh, a funny conversation, or the kind of memories that bind friendships together. Our group felt like it had been broken in an instant, and no glue could hold it together in his absence. It was as though time itself had come to a halt when we got the news. At his funeral, everything felt like a nightmare we just had to wake up from. But with each passing day, that nightmare didn’t disappear. It became the new reality we had no choice but to face.

In the days that followed, it felt like living in constant denial of what was happening in the world around us. It was as if the clock had stopped working, the world had frozen in this tragic moment, and it was not moving forward. I remember desperately hoping that when I opened my eyes, it would all just end and everything would return to normal. But it didn't! With each passing day, the realization hit harder that this wasn't a nightmare to wake up from; it was something we had to accept. That the world would keep turning, with or without him. And as hard as it was, we have slowly started accepting that life, despite the unbearable weight of loss, keeps moving forward.

Let me tell you the most important thing about moving forward: it doesn't ask you to forget things that broke you. It doesn't demand you to leave the pain behind as if nothing has happened. No. Moving forward means accepting the weight of the hardship and the hole left in your life and still choosing to take another step. It's not a forced march. It's a quiet decision to keep walking, even though the road feels different and more complex than before, even when your legs are hurting.

And as more days passed since our friend passed away, we realized that our friend hadn't really left us. We carry him with us in the values he taught us, the little lessons he gave, and the beautiful memories he left behind, which bring a smile that reaches our eyes. We're not moving forward without him; we're moving forward with him. He's with us in every laugh we share, in every story we tell, and the way we support one another.

We are not pretending that the pain doesn’t exist. We are finding the courage to face and move through it, knowing that the ones we lose are never truly gone. They live on in us, our choices, and how we make sense of the world in their absence. So, yes, life goes on, but it doesn't go on without them. They live on in us, our hearts, and every step we take from here on. Our life is going on; it is teaching us to live.

With this; moving Forward, Life goes on!

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