Us Against the World - By Fatima Barakat

Written By: Fatima Barakat

Category: Essay

Competition: Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026

In the heartwarming essay "Us Against the World," Fatima Barakat delves into the profound connection of friendship. As a participant in the Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026, Fatima brings to life the essence of relationships that transcend the ordinary. Her heartfelt narrative captures the essence of understanding and companionship, celebrating the unique bond between friends that feels destined and timeless.

About the Work

Fatima Barakat's essay offers a touching exploration of friendship's enduring power. Through vivid imagery and emotive prose, she paints a picture of a bond that defies words yet speaks volumes. The narrative is rich in emotion and insight, capturing the essence of a friendship that grows and evolves with time, providing comfort and understanding in an ever-changing world.

Us Against the World

Original Submission by Fatima Barakat

Us Against the World

Mariam is the kind of person who makes you understand why some friendships feel less like something you found and more like something you were always meant to find. I met her without knowing that she would become such an important part of my life, and I certainly could not have imagined how naturally she would fit into it. Meeting her was like finding a piece of myself I never knew was missing. She became more than my best friend; she became one of the people through whom I understand my own life, someone whose presence has become so familiar that imagining my days without her feels almost impossible.

There is a kind of understanding between two people that does not require explanation, and that is what I have with Mariam. If I were mute and she were deaf, she would still understand me. She knows when I am genuinely okay and when my “I’m fine” is simply a shorter way of saying that I don’t want to talk about it. She can read a look across a room, understand a pause in a conversation, and somehow know what I mean when I haven’t even figured out how to put it into words myself. With her, I never feel the need to carefully translate my thoughts or make myself easier to understand. I can simply be myself, and somehow, she gets it.

She is my constant in an ever-changing life. People grow, circumstances shift, friendships take different paths, and we are all constantly becoming slightly different versions of ourselves. Through all of that, there is something incredibly comforting about having someone who has known you through different seasons and never makes you feel like your friendship depends on staying exactly the same. Mariam has seen different versions of me, and instead of expecting me to remain the person she first met, she has grown alongside me.

She is also the kind of person who makes you realize that richness has very little to do with what you own. She is the type of rich you could never put into a bank: rich in laughter, loyalty, memories, conversations that somehow last far longer than they were supposed to, and the kind of kindness that makes another person’s life feel lighter. There are forms of wealth that disappear when you spend them, but friendship is different. The more love, laughter, and kindness you give to it, the more it seems to grow.

I know that life will change. We will grow older, meet new people, enter different chapters, and become versions of ourselves that we cannot yet imagine. Our lives may eventually look nothing like they do now. But I hope that somewhere in all those changes, there will always be a part of us that remembers who we were when we found each other. I hope we remember the girls who could turn an ordinary day into something worth laughing about, who understood each other without needing every thought explained, and who had no idea just how much this friendship would come to mean.

People spend years searching for someone who makes them feel understood, accepted, and completely themselves. They search for someone they can laugh with, cry with, grow with, and trust with the parts of themselves they don’t show everyone else. I happened to find that person much earlier than I ever expected.

There are people you meet and eventually forget. There are people who stay for a chapter and then become part of your past. And then there are the rare people whose presence changes the shape of your life simply by being in it. Mariam is that person for me.

I don’t know what the future will look like, or how much of our lives will change before we reach it. I only know that when I think about the people I am grateful to have met, she will always be one of the first names that comes to mind. If I had to name one thing I hope that time never changes, it would be us. That is why it will always be us against the world.

About the Competition

The Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026 by Hashtag Kalakar is a prestigious event celebrating creativity and literary talent. It invites participants from around the world to share their unique voices and stories, fostering a global community of writers and poets. The competition showcases diverse perspectives and promotes the power of the written word.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to Fatima Barakat for her touching contribution, "Us Against the World," to the Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026. Her essay beautifully encapsulates the essence of friendship and its transformative power, reminding us of the invaluable connections that shape our lives.

About Hashtag Kalakar

Hashtag Kalakar is a creative platform dedicated to providing artists, writers, singers and other creative talents with opportunities to showcase their work and reach wider audiences through competitions, features and creative initiatives.