Winged Dreams

Final Author's Note <3

1st October, 2017

Assalamualaikum my lovely readers, I hope you all are doing well in sha Allah. To my old readers who patiently endured the wait after each chapter, I miss you all so much and to my new readers, welcome to the family <3

In one of my update's I said I had a reason for writing a book like Winged Dreams, a book that breaks my heart and rips my soul, and this is what this is about. It has taken me long enough (about 8 months) to finally post this for I was dreading the final goodbye, this update marks the official end of Winged Dreams but yes, it had to be done someday.

As a teenager, when I thought about love or marriage, I'll admit that I associated it to fairytales. I thought it was a beautiful concept to share your life with someone who has a house in his heart for you, who cares for you more than you care for yourself.

I still think so but there's a level of acceptance I've reached in the fact that this is not true all the time, there's a world out there with more villains than heroes.

In the cruel world that we live, I was honestly broken to find so many single mothers, so many widows who lost their husbands, the love of their lives for no fault of theirs. When I read their stories on social media, I could not imagine how they felt to have lost a part of themselves, and yet survive in this land where no happiness would seem complete again. I cried for them, and all my theories of fairytales were questioned, for this is a brutal dunya we're talking about. 

There were so many young beautiful women who had lost their husbands and at some point, this really hit me. It challenged all those images I had in my head, opposing them and telling me that there are people out there who live a totally different reality. 

A reality that we need to be aware of, acknowledge and empathize with.

I received mixed reactions when Bilal died, but this was how I'd planned it even before I chose a name for this book, even before I could think of the beginning, I had planned the end. I know I've made you cry, I've shed endless tears too, but here's the truth, this was the ultimate aim of this book. Some of you told me that you read books to escape from reality and would hate to read sad endings, I used to think so too, but here's the thing, I'd fail as a writer if I didn't show the pain of martyrs and the ones they leave behind.

No matter what reality we try to escape from, we can't escape from this. The fact that as you read this now, there's a family out there who has lost/ is losing a loved one. I know this is a tiny effort, but this book is a dedication to the ones who've died fighting for the truth, and the ones who have only the memories of their loved ones to live the rest of their life.

Those wives who find no one to hold their hands, who carry wounded hearts behind smiling faces; those children who are forced to live as orphans; those parents and siblings who sob in agony for the loss, Winged Dreams is a dedication to them.

A book that will always hold a special place in my heart, the story I'd never forgive myself if I didn't deliver it to the world. 

I know how attached we get to our characters, and this is the only way I could make us feel the pain of losing a loved one at the hands of oppression and injustice. Only way to make us pause in our life and think about the life of people who deserve our prayers and thoughts. 

For when Bilal breathed his last, we cried over the loss of a character we loved so much, but we also cried for the real life Bilals who went away too soon, for real life Dinas who are forced to fight a mental battle every moment of the day. I've never been so emotionally invested in characters for I believe fiction does not deserve so much thought, but I did not stop myself from getting attached to the characters of this book. For this fictional Bilal is a depiction of real life heroes like him. And that's what truly hurt, the heartrending reality of this world.

This may be a story for some, but this is so much more than that. This is life, this is a lesson, this is a tale and this is the truth.

May Allah grant the martyrs highest ranks in jannah and may He bless their families and reunite them and us in jannah.

Thank you for your time, my lovely readers, and I hope Winged Dreams has a place in your heart, just like it has in mine. 

And yes, don't blame me for the tears, guys, I gave you some very cutesy moments to enjoy, and Asif and Simran's happy life balanced the emotions, not completely but a little.

I feel I've grown as a person after this book. It comforts me to know that I have embraced the parts of life that comprise of tears, struggles, pain and despair. I know we can't have sunshine all the time and I'm okay with it, I've learnt to enjoy the rain. For if this world isn't permanent, then all these problems and heartbreaks are just as temporary. 

I hope I get to see you around! You can check my other works on my profile and stay connected with me on facebook and instagram (@sarah.m3k and @hopesprayersnsmiles ). Thank you for being a part of this journey, you've cried through the ride, but I hope it was worth it <3