A few weeks ago, Muslims all over the world celebrated the holiday Eid al-Adha. It honors the ancient story in which God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son.

The tradition is for Muslims to sacrifice an animal, like a cow or a lamb, and then share the meat with family, friends and the poor.

This year, reporter Beenish Ahmed celebrated Eid al-Adha in a way she hadn’t before: in her parents’ home country of Pakistan. In her story, she reflects on the experience, which included witnessing the animal’s slaughter.