After the Smoke Clears: Our Taipo

Holding onto hope, together. For Taipo

The smell of smoke hung in the air that night. For many of us here in the Taipo neighbourhood, it was not just something we saw on the news. It was something we felt. We breathed it. We knew, in that moment, that something was terribly wrong.

We all know about the tragedy now. We have felt the collective heartbreak of our community. There is no need to repeat the details here. This space is for something else.

This is for the heavy silence that has settled over our streets. For the questions that have no answers. For the shared sadness we all carry.

Where Do We Go from Here?

Healing is not about forgetting. It is about learning to carry this loss together.

In the days since, we have seen the true meaning of community. We have seen small acts of great kindness. A shared look of understanding between neighbours. A helping hand.

These are the first steps.

Healing is slow. It is not a race. Some days will be harder than others. This is normal. Be gentle with yourself and with each other.

We will move forward by holding onto each other. We will honour those we lost by building a community that is even stronger, more caring, and more connected.

The smoke has cleared from the air, but the feeling remains in our hearts. Let that feeling remind us not just of what was lost, but of who we are together.

To my Taipo neighbours: We grieve, and we will heal, side by side.

With sympathy,

Ajmal Samuel

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