We often say about a great book, “I started reading it and simply couldn’t put it down.”
With Aminah’s book, Flickan som blev kvar – Att finna lugn och lycka efter trauma - or, translated into English, The Girl Left Behind – Finding Peace and Joy After Trauma - I had almost the opposite experience.
I had to stop reading several times.
Not because I wanted to stop reading. Quite the opposite. It is now among the best books I have ever read. I stopped because I needed to catch my breath. I needed to stop crying.
There are books that teach us something. And then there are books that change the way we look at life. For me, this was one of those books.
When Aminah was only ten years old, her father killed her mother. She was separated from her family, had a father in prison and was placed in a foster home, where she was later sexually abused by someone close to that family.
Most people would understand if that became the defining story of her life.
But it didn’t.
What defines Aminah today is not what happened to her, but what she has done with her life since.
She healed.
She found peace.
She found joy.
And today she dedicates her life to helping others find their own strength, as well as being a voice for children who experience trauma.
Her book, and her life story, are ultimately stories of resilience. They are about the triumph of life.
As Helen Keller - who, despite being both deaf and blind, became one of the most inspiring human beings of the twentieth century - once said:
“Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it.”
I have never met anyone who embodies those words more than Aminah.
After getting to know her, I found myself thinking differently about the title of her book. While the English translation is The Girl Left Behind, I almost think of it as The Girl Who Remained.
Because despite everything that happened, she somehow preserved something essential from the little girl she was before that terrible night. Not untouched by life, but still guided by the same kindness, curiosity, and capacity to love.
To me, that is the real miracle of her story.
I hope this conversation stays with you long after you’ve listened. And if, afterwards, you feel inspired to read Aminah’s remarkable book, I think we will have accomplished something truly worthwhile.
Viva a vida!
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