Here at Under Lucky Stars, we like to think our star maps are a gift of a lifetime. A meaningful part of our customers lives that gets woven into the fabric of their relationship, families and futures. Here is the next part in our series of special stories as we follow our maps.
We love to hear the stories behind our maps. Why did you choose that date? What detail about the night was most special to you? Could you tell us something about your partner?
Some of our customer stories have made our hearts (and eyes) fill.
We thought we would check up on some of our customers and see where the star-studded maps ended up!
This is the Story of Amany
Many of us love to travel. The yearning to explore new countries, hear foreign sounds, feel the crunch of unfamiliar earth beneath our feet. There is a romantic tinge to the idea, exploring the world on
wings of wanderlust. Filling our soul with colors from faraway lands.
Yet - what if it is forced upon you? For millions of people, strange lands are thrust upon them as unexpectedly as the rain drop on a cloudless day. Politicians and army generals make decisions, and families are torn apart in consequence. Imagine starting again, with your sense of identity cleaved in two. A part of you may always be trapped in your homeland, your memories locked behind manmade barriers.
Amany is one such person. As a young woman, she was forced to leave Syria, the only place she had ever known as home. After years in Turkey, she then moved to France. She built everything again – friends, job, she recommenced studies and tried to piece back together her fractured sense of self.
Syria is a beautiful country, with some of the most ancient culture and sacred artifacts in the world. It has been destroyed by a civil war for nearly a decade. Several opposing factions are fighting for control of the country.
The decisions made by a minority of men and women have left millions of Syrians mourning loved ones or forced to flee everything they have ever known. Those who have stayed, by choice or necessity, have seen their precious country crumble around them. The political situation is complicated, but you can read more about it here.
Now, it is time to hear Amany’s journey.
After years in Turkey, coming to terms with the abrupt loss of family and friends, and everything she had known and loved, Amany stumbled upon an unexpected remembrance from the past.
Abdulrazzak. A childhood acquaintance, Abdulrazzak and Amany had known each other growing up. They knew each other’s schools. They shared common friends and memories of home. He was a Syrian light in an otherwise overwhelming tunnel. They met a few times in Turkey, and the friendship whose seeds they had planted as children blossomed.
Then Abdulrazzak left. He moved to Germany to study and to find a fresh start in a country full of hope and opportunities.
Through the virtual connection, the two got closer. They communicated more and more frequently, and the friendship began to ripen into something new.
Life does love to throw curveballs. Sometimes, just when you feel you are comfortably creaking along familiar train tracks, and you begin to predict what will be coming around the corner, you split suddenly at a fork and hurtle down new tracks.
Amany moved to France. As they both embarked on new lives, and had yet another country, culture and language to learn their communication quietened down, to a whisper and then silence altogether.
Two years went by. Amany continued to make a new home for herself in Nancy, France. Hundreds of miles away, her childhood friend was busy building a new life in Germany. Life went on, sometimes in a trickle, sometimes in a gush.
One day, Amany received a phone call from an unknown number. It was Abdulrazzak – and the spark that had been burning two years ago flickered to a flame immediately. They spent hours reminiscing about shared memories, laughing together and discovering each other’s new adventures.
Abdulrazzak told Amany he loved her – it had been burning on his chest for months and he could finally tell her now they could meet during the Christmas vacation.
Three months later, and after a seven-hour journey, the two were united in Nancy. They have been together ever since.
We live in a hyperconnected world. Instantaneous communication at our fingertips. A world of connections in the palm of our hands. Yet, sometimes the rush and versatility of modern life can be overwhelming.
We yearn for simpler times. The bittersweet nostalgia prompted by childhood memories makes us wonder what life would be like, if we were spending it with someone who had known us back then.
Amany can tell us.
We spoke to Amany to see how things were going with her, and whether her star map was still serving its original purpose! Here is what she had to say:
- What made you choose the date for your Star Map?
It’s the date when our relationship took a new direction by meeting after many years.
- What was it like moving from Syria to Turkey so suddenly?
We were forced to take this hard step and leave a whole life behind our backs in order to survive the regime’s bombardment and ISIS’s threats. It was full of struggles.
- Do you still consider Syria to be home?
Absolutely, my childhood, my family and friends, our lovely house and my memories are all related to Syria.
- Did you feel a warm welcome in France?
Yes, I have met so many nice people, I built here good friendships and I managed to realize my dream of studying architecture.
- Was there any particular moment when your feelings for Abdulrazzak changed from friend to “something more”?
For me it was the night we met here...the night captured in our star Map.
- How are you and Abdulrazzak coping during lockdown?
We keep in touch everyday by calls, sms, and video calls and we’re looking forward to meet again when the borders open again.
- How would you describe your family in 3 words?
Loving, supportive and extraordinary family.
- When was the last time you went stargazing?
The last time was in February before the quarantine.
- Do you live by a motto?
You’re a part of everything you have met in life, so keep discovering.
- Where do you keep your Star Map?
It’s in Abdulrazzak’s home with all our different souvenirs.
Thank you Amany for sharing your inspirational story with us. We stand in humble awe of your difficult journey and we hope that you have made a wonderful life in Nancy.
We are glad that you have Abdulrazzak by your side, and we hope your Star Map continues to tell your story for many years to come!