Something Amazing Happened

Letter Back Home - 3

Tomorrow will be the end of first week

Today is the second day of Hari Raya. If we were in KL, would we have gone over to our neighbour's house for a visit? Most likely not because most of them would be away, back in their hometown (balik kampung). It should be the same this year around, is it, baby?

Here I am, with our two sons in SP. This early morning, we visited an old Malay friend of Pa (my father-in-law). They used to be in the police force together, they were colleague. We were greeted with smiles and food that were already been nicely laid out on the table when we arrived. I noticed something familiar...of course, it must be the aromatic fragrance of nasi dagang, a unique rice from Kelantan, the appetizing fish curry and mouth watering beef rendang to go with it. When I took my first bite, I was instantly transported back to the days when I spent most of my childhood days eating malay rice for breakfast and munching down delicacies in the afternoon to running back from school across this field of thousands bird poles erected in the field, used for bird singing competition to finally reach my small humble rented home at the end of the field. The small grass track meandering its way across the field, as if , it is the only way which I could take to go home, was something that I could not have forgotten until today. If I were to go back now, I am pretty sure it is no longer there, but memories would always remain as fresh and as sweet as the curry I have just tasted.

When we were eating away heartily, the wife started telling me how her husband and Pa first met back in the good old days of the police force and how much Pa had helped them through hard times, financially and emotionally, again and again, for the husband were once very ill in his life. Although all sons and daughters of them have all grown up, when they saw Pa and greeted him, I could almost see the respect and gratitude that sparkled in their eyes. Though we may come from different religion and beliefs, they treat each other like brothers, with utmost sincere tone of voice, that was what she told me. I chocked a little, simply because, first of all, was to know that I just had the most meaningful raya celebration I have ever had for a long time, since my childhood years back in Kelantan where we would not fail to visit our Malay neighbours years after years. That feeling seems to dinimish once we moved to more urban places of Malaysia. Second of all, was to get to know Pa much better, from an outsider's perspective, for it made me realize that to be a better person is not to just acquire enough fame and wealth in life, but to simply understand the meaning and the spirit of giving, unconditionally, and to continuously do so. It is this legacy that Pa will leave behind for most of the people here in SP knows him so well, not for his glory days in the police force, but also his gratitude and his generosity he shared with so many others who know him better. You are indeed lucky to have such a great father, don't you agree?

So, how's your heel, better already? Will write more whenever I can.