This is what it means to have autonomy—you may not control life‘s circumstances, but getting to be the author of your life means getting to control what you do with them.

But mostly mariam is in Laila's own heart where she shines with the bursting radiance of a thousand suns.

All we ask is to be allowed to remain the writers of our own story.

The important thing was that, in ascribing value to the cause and seeing it as worth making sacrifices for, we give our lives meaning.