Nothing changed in my village, but I did.

I woke up early this morning, despite the tireless work I had done the day before, with a strong urge to visit my village.

This village is where I grew up—from childhood until I moved to the city in search of work after completing my secondary school education.

After reflecting on the thought for a while, I made up my mind. I quickly jumped out of bed and headed to the bathroom to take a bath.

Minutes later, I was fully prepared for the journey. I walked a short distance from my house to board a vehicle that would take me to the village.

Excitement filled my heart as I thought about seeing my people again. The joy of reuniting with friends and family made me smile as I sat in the vehicle beside another passenger. The journey took almost four hours before I finally arrived at my destination.

Upon reaching the village, I was warmly welcomed by the people and friends I had left behind. We had a wonderful time together. Memories of our past came flooding back. We played, laughed, and shared stories until nightfall, then returned to our various homes.

The next day, I decided to take a stroll and soak in the peaceful atmosphere. I visited familiar places—the king’s palace, the village school, and some old friends’ houses. But something deeply touched my heart during this visit.

I realized that, after almost four years of being away, nothing had really changed—not even their way of life. That moment made me pause and reflect deeply. I came to understand that change will never come if we are not ready to embrace it. The things we hope for, the life we desire, will never arrive unless we are willing to take the steps and make the sacrifices necessary to achieve them.