In Loving Memory of Nabila Walji

Nabila Walji embodied generosity like no other. She was incredibly generous with her heart, her knowledge, her emotions, her means, and herself. I remember one day she asked me, “Apa, why are people not more generous with themselves”. She struggled to understand why people held themselves back, why they didn’t share their emotions openly, express love and affection freely, speak honestly, and live fully. Nabila lived without restraint.

In 2017, she wrote about generosity – “One night I fell asleep struggling with the idea of generosity, and the next morning I found it all around me. From one person to more than I can count on my fingers. Maybe generosity attracts generosity, I don’t know. But I do know the feeling of upliftment when generosity comes by.”

I think Bia found that spirit in the last few years of her life, especially in her time at Oxford. She was thriving – volunteering, completing interviews for her thesis, doing her coursework, meeting up with friends, engaging with her religion and spirituality, and planning for the future – all the while, having amazing hair days!

Though our family was shocked, heartbroken, and devastated when Nabila unexpectedly passed away, we decided to focus on Bia’s eternal spirit. We feel her guiding us, giving us strength. We feel her in the sunset, in swaying trees, in the mountains, in wildlife. While we grieve the loss of our incredibly passionate, inspiring and loving daughter, sister, granddaughter, cousin, niece, aunt and friend, we celebrate her life, her accomplishments, and her reach. Nabila’s giggle, curiosity, friendliness, and smile touched so many people across the world. As the news of her death has spread, the messages we have received from every corner of the world have given us strength, pride, laughter, and peace.

Bia gave us all many gifts, and her writing and thoughts stay with us now. On January 17, 2022, she wrote:

“Life is full of changes, just like the sunrises and sunsets of each day, change is constant in life. Sometimes we don’t notice change, or sometimes we choose not to notice it, sometimes its always in our face, sometimes we want to run away from it…rarely do we sit with it.

I’ve never understood this thing called closure. It seems to be a feeling everyone is after, but no one is able to find. Apparently its hopeless seeking it from another person, its supposed to be something found within ourselves.

It seems to me that the thing is, its all held in the goodbye. Through life’s many changes - big and small, conscious or not - its that we rush through them and don’t take a moment to say goodbye to what once was and prepare for what is next, whether or not we are ready for the change.”

Bia, I know your soul is free now. You are no longer bound by the limitations of this world, by people’s restraint, by norms, by expectations. I say goodbye to your body now, but I will never say goodbye to your soul, spirit and love. You will be with me forever, and I will be with you forever.

I know you are in a place of ultimate peace and joy that I can’t even imagine… but I picture you sitting with your glasses on the tip of your nose, yellow legal pad on your lap, camera next to you, interviewing Dadi Maa once again. I imagine you sitting in lost libraries of our history, examining manuscripts and documentation of our past. I imagine you simultaneously photographing the world from the top of Everest, while also experiencing the galaxy up close. No limits, no bounds. Just freedom.

Soar, my sister.

Always yours,

Apa