Daily writing prompt
Describe a phase in life that was difficult to say goodbye to.
There are phases in life that we naturally outgrow, and there are those we struggle to say goodbye to. For me, that moment came in August 2016, when my father passed away.
I was in Surabaya when it happened. He was in Trenggalek, our hometown. A six-hour ride away. I had several missed calls from my brother, and then a short text that hit me harder than anything before: Dek, Bapak seda.
Bro, Dad passed away.
A few words that changed everything.
I remember preparing myself—not in a hurry, but in despair. Because deep inside, I knew. I wouldn’t meet him, even wouldn't make it to his funeral. No matter how fast I rode, I was chasing something I was going to lose anyway.
That six-hour ride home felt like the longest journey of my life. The weight of reality slowly sank in with every kilometer. I tried to stay strong, gripping the handlebars tighter, feeling the wind against my face, trying to hold back the tears. But my mind was elsewhere, running through memories of him.
As I grew older, we talked less, but I always knew he cared. He didn’t give advice—he showed it through his sacrifices, his hard work, his quiet presence. My core memories of him are of a fun, caring father who led by example. Now, as a father myself, I want to do the same—while also staying close to my children, even as they grow.
Saying goodbye to my father was not just about losing him. It was about realizing the weight of his presence, the lessons he left behind, and the kind of father I want to be.
That six-hour ride may have been the longest, but it brought me home in more ways than one.
