My Birthday

Saturday morning, 1st November 2008 was a quiet day. I've forgotten in fact, that day was my 65th birthday until Jamayah sms me with a birthday wish early morning. Do you know that as the number grows bigger you find it difficult to remember or purposely pretend not to remember it. Anyway, I know Najidah was coming for a visit and to discuss some issues. My brother Ariffin called and wished me happy birthday and said he was coming to pick up his camera which he left at my apartment the last time he and wife, Maznah were here.

I cooked some rendang ayam and nasi impit enough for 5/6 people and then back to my computer writing my blog on my journey east and north Malaysia. In the afternoon, Najidah knocked on my door and I invited her in. She came in a while and told me she has to go back to the car as she forgot to take something. OK, so I was back to my computer. Then she was at the door again with a troop of girls and boys plus babies. Was I surprised? I was surprised indeed - a real pleasant surprise on my birthday. Thoses were my beloved ex-students who have become counsellors, officers, wives, husbands and mothers. Words cannot describe how pleased I was then. Thank you Najidah for taking the effort to organize this and made my birthday a meaningful one. I am going to remember this particular birthday for a loooooooong time.

As I recalled now, we had Najidah (TQ for the present), Rosfariza, Faezah with husband Amer, Nor Izzah, Rozita and husband Fauzan and baby, Arfah with husband Muqri, Shahren, Atiqah (Tq for the present), Liza with husband Faizal and baby, my brother, Ariffin and wife Maznah. I hope I don't leave anyone. So sorry, in the photos I looked so untidy - I wasn't prepared for the gathering. So that was me at home making myself comfortable. Inspite of the limited space in my apartment, we managed to squeez ourselves to be comfortable. The food was unblievable - so much that I was able to share some with the guards and the office staff today.

At the same time I am proud that all my students are doing well in their respective organizations. They are a committed lot. Unimas lectures have done well in training them. I hope Arfah is able to persuade some friends to join her doing master's program in Clinical Psychology. I also hope that they will go and do their Phds as well. Felt very proud that at least one student, Azah, in USA now is doing her PhD. To all of you I wish all the best of luck and a happy life.

I hope those who came to wish me happy birthday knew that they compensated the absence of my children. You all did make my day and I feel appreciated and loved. Please don't forget to do the same to your parents. It means a lot to parents but unfortunately my children took things for granted. For my birthday today, I invited Izzah to cut the cake and share the birthday wishes together with me as hers will be on 8 November.

To my brother, Ariffin and sister-in-law, Maznah, thank you for the second birthday cake. How lucky can a person be - having 2 birthday cakes at the same time. He is the only brother who visits me once in a while to see how I am doing. Thank you Bang.

After all the excitement, I am so grateful to Allah for giving me the richness of love from people around me. Allah has given me such good life with health and comfort to make living a wonderful experience. Very aware that my days are quite numbered, I am determined to make the most of my time to make me a healthy person for me and the people I love and to contribute in a small way to mankind.

Thank you, thank you and thank you.May Allah bless you all.