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Remincsing The Past

Assalamualaikum wbt

Just having this little something in my mind lately. And this little something is really something to me.

Times that my parents stood up for me:

i) When I was 50% burnt in 1993, they took care of me to the maximum. Nothing can beat their sacrifices at that moment. I still remember the touch of my mother when she put cream on my body and when she helped me to take my bath.

ii) When the first time I entered a story telling competition, my father was the one who encouraged me to kick my best on the stage. I made it. I won the 1st place with my story about Saidina Ali Karamallahu Wajhah. On the way back, ayah told me that his friend who watched me on the stage said that I have a good future onward in this public speaking field. He was right. Starting by the next year, I joined the debate team (for my primary school) and 9 years later, in 2002, I was one of the debaters who carried the responsibility to bring Piala Perdana Menteri back to my collage (my secondary school, upper form). Everything started because of the microphone at home that I used to manipulate as my stuff as an entertainer. Kaklong and I were a good singer back then, singing Isabella and Fantasia Bulan Madu songs by the rock group, Search, on the living room’s table in our Tok’s house. Ayah was mad listening us singing the songs but that was the very first exposure to hold microphone in our life and that gave us advantages not to be a mocrophonophobia. We enjoyed talking using a microphone pretending as entertainers and that explains why Kaklong can really be a good English and Science teacher.

iii) My parents, both attended my final grand competetions in debate. They travelled all the way from house to be at the places that I had to be. One more thing, they would pay me visits in hostel if I could not go back during end of the month because of the restriction for having my debate discussion with my team. Whenever I was on the stage, to gain confidence, I would search for their faces in the first place and only after that I would be the smiling Sarah on the stage. And there I go, que sera sera.

iv) They always take care of me when I got sick. Hmm. People know that I’ve a disease. When I was admitted to the ward for 3 weeks in Klang and then been transferred to Mentakab Hospital (Temerloh Hospital wasn’t there yet), my mother was the one who came and fro to satisfy my need. Ah. A lot to tell about this. But it’s enough to say that they both were and still are the one who really care after me, my healthiness and my well being, up till now. They are the doctors of my life.

v) They never complained about giving me money. Like my situation right now, they are my bank, my saviors in any way, any condition. Thank you emak and ayah.

Times that I did not stand up for my parents:

i) I admit, I am not a good daughter. I came out to argue with them on a few things. Sometimes, I was just being selfish to myself. I raised up my voice when talking to them. I still remember about me comparing the attention from my parents on Kaklong and I. To me, it seemed that they had paid more attention on Kaklong. I envied Kaklong for this and I kept complaining about this and that. Emak separated us in different rooms since then. And all that I could remember, since that moment was the more I got jealous with Kaklong. It was when I was in form 1, Kaklong was in form 2 and my mother was teaching in the evening session at the nearby school. To show my protest, I went to school by bus instead of going with my mother, I did not pick up the pocket money from ayah on the table, I did not eat anything at school, I did not touch my mother’s cookings at home and many more stupid actions (lasted for one week). That’s how stubborn I was. Very stubborn. And now, I am ashamed of myself for all the stupid things I had done before. But slowly after that, I learned how to be more mature. I feel guilty to have compared their love and attention on Kaklong and I. I know I have hurt them in a stupid way. But then I learned one thing: No parents want to hurt their children. They love their children equally the same. One thing that I learned from that was, I want to love them more and more and more.

ii) Babbling. That is me. Sometimes I babble on small things that happened around me. During the last summer break, when I was at home, I complained why ayah came back late, why emak came back late from school too leaving me alone at home until evening, why Kaklong, Nan and Lan have their own tranports, why can’t I go to my friend’s wedding, why can’t I join the program organized by our association, and even I complained why the internet is slow at certain times. Just imagine, so many why, why, why out from me. How can my parents stand me for having such many whys. That is only from me. What if the two budak kecik at home, Azizi and Aiman, have so many whys to ask too? And there I learned one more thing from them: To love is to be patient. And they are sooooo patient to face me (and the kiddos) at home. In fact, my brother Adam, is even better than me. He can just run his life in silence. No complains, no comments and he, IN FACT, is really a nice mama’s boy to the family. He does the drink in the evening, he cooks rice when my mother is out for school on Saturday, he takes care of the 2 kids when no one is home, he does almost everything that my mother does. He even can cook simple dishes for the kids. And he never complained on that. Yup I do them too. When I am back in Malaysia, I won’t let my Mak Tam cook for us. Only if there’s something difficult to be cooked. I clean the house, I do the laundry, I cook lunch almost everyday and I try to prepare something new almost everyweek. But at my age, I should not have such behavior anymore. Why should I be so childish as if I am the youngest in the family? I should not have complained on this and that. But why I still behave like one? I know I have hurt them in that way. To be childish for asking why, why and why at the age of 23.

iii) During the last summer break, I woke up for Subuh prayer and my mother was in the kitchen preparing breakfast for my father and the kids. She herself then has to move forward in a rush to prepare herself to go to school. And where was I? After Subuh, I kept myself locked in the room and only before they left for work and to school at 7 am, I went out, salam-ed their hands and then locked the main door and continue my reading in the room. Why didn’t I help my mother during weekdays in the kitchen? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? At night, before I went into my room, I saw my mother checking my little brothers’ school uniforms and bags, cleaning the kitchen, ironing her clothes and my father’s shirts too. And then, she sat down at her table, marking her students’ books and after that, she checked the doors whether they were locked or not and only after that, she would head to her room. My mother is an iron lady. Yes, she is.

Comparing the times that I did not stand up for my parents to what have they done for me, I now realize that I am not a good daughter, I treated them unfairly to what they have done for me and I will never can pay back for all the sacrifices they did for me. May Allah bless my parents till end of their lives and may Allah forgive me for all the misbehaves I have done since I was a kid.

Emak, ayah, you are the Mr. and Mrs. Bond in my life. Or to suit the character that ayah likes better, you both are my Mr. and Mrs. Sakor 007 in my life! I love you!

Posted on November 1st, 2008 by Sarah  |  10 Comments »

Game Boy Air

Assalamualaikum wbt

Tiga malam lepas, saya terlalu bosan sewaktu sedang mengulangkaji. Jadi, sengaja saya google-kan ‘play tetris online’ dan sudahnya saya duduk menekun bermain satu pusingan Tetris dari level 1 sehingga 9. Kenapa Tetris yang saya pilih? Sebab saya tiba-tiba teringat permainan yang dimain sewaktu budak-budak dulu. Dulu siap ada game boy dua, tiga buah di rumah. Kalau hendak balik kampung, wajib bawa game boy bersama supaya dapat elakkan pergaduhan di dalam kereta. Pening ayah hendak memandu nanti. Kami pun takut untuk bergaduh sebab ayah akan ugut untuk meninggalkan kami di tepi jalan saja.

Dulu-dulu, set permainan TV game menggunakan video tape. Saya tak tahu hendak namakannya apa tapi untuk melihat senarai permainan yang disediakan, kita perlu memasukkan video tape itu secara menegak pada alatnya. Video tape itu kecil saja saiznya. Dan kemudian, barulah kita menggunakan alat pengawal (controller) untuk menukar-nukar menunya. Game pilihan sewaktu itu ialah Mario Brothers, Tetris dan Pacman. Mungkin ada permainan lain yang saya selalu main dulu-dulu tapi sudah lupa nama.

Kalau mahu yang lagi old school, ada sejenis permainan ini yang saya simpan bertahun-tahun sebagai permainan peribadi saya. Saya panggilnya game boy air. Harganya 20 sen ke 50 sen saja, bergantung kepada saiz. Cara untuk memainkannya, saya hanya perlu memicit-micit 2 butang yang ada pada badan game boy air saya ini supaya dapat menghasilkan ombak atau tekanan air di dalam skrin yang mengandungi air di dalamnya dan seterusnya menggerakkan gelung-gelung kecil berwarna-warni di dalam skrin itu dan kemudian menyangkutkan gelung-gelung itu pada palang yang ada di dalamnya. Jika habis ke semua gelung-gelung itu berjaya disangkutkan pada palang itu, maka menanglah saya. Tak perlu tukar bateri, tak perlu risau rosak atau apa. Kalau air dalam skrin semakin mengering, saya boleh isi semula dan kalau rosak, saya boleh beli semula. Murah saja. Bukan macam game boy biasa tu. Hehe.

Dan seingat saya, game boy air ini pertama kali saya tahu selepas dua pupu saya, Asyiq dan Syafiq, memberikannya kepada saya. Bila sudah besar ni, baru saya terfikir, aik, budak lelaki pun main ya game boy air picit-picit macam tu. Ingatkan budak perempuan saja. Hehehe. Budak-budak zaman sekarang rugi sangat. Mereka tak sempat dengan permainan-permainan old school begini yang tak memerlukan kos yang tinggi. Yang ada sekarang ialah PS2, PS3, Wii dan macam-macam yang lain. Game boy air saya tu masih wujud lagi sampai sekarang. Rangkanya sajalah yang ada kerana skrinnya pecah setelah hampir 3 tahun saya menggunakan game boy yang sama. Nostalgia sungguh kalau saya buka kotak barang-barang lama saya di rumah. Sebab saya boleh tengok lagi rangka skrin game boy air saya yang berwarna hijau pucuk pisang suatu masa dulu sekarang berwarna kuning pedar. Sudah lapuk dek zaman.

Posted on November 1st, 2008 by Sarah  |  5 Comments »

Ralat

Assalamualaikum wbt

Entah apa yang terjadi pada saya kebelakangan ini. Tunggang-terbalik. Saya rayu Encik Em Osi saya itu kembali pulih. Cepat. Saya perlu kamu. Segera. Kamu tiada, saya ralat jadinya.

Posted on November 1st, 2008 by Sarah  |  18 Comments »

Carbonara Pasta Del Pollo

Assalamualaikum wbt

Ciao tutto~

Kononnya, saya ada satu niat sejak Ramadhan lalu. Setiap kali tibanya giliran saya memasak untuk kami serumah, saya hendak mencuba sesuatu yang baru. Yang belum pernah saya masak sendiri. Tapi bergantung kepada mood dan masa juga. Seperti Ramadhan yang lepas, waktu Maghrib masuk sekitar jam 8 ke 8.30 malam. Lambat. Jadi sempatlah saya mencuba sesuatu yang pelik-pelik. Ada satu hari tu, saya mencuba Udang Masak Mamak. Suka! Suka! Menjadi. Dan pada hari yang sama saya mencuba Ayam Pandan. Yang ini lagi saya suka! Pun menjadi. Saya pun ada cuba membuat kuih tradisional yang tidak dapat dibeli di sini. Saya buat Tepung Pelita dan Kuih Lapis. Pun menjadi. Seronok! Seronok!

Tetapi sekiranya berkejar balik daripada hospital dan ada banyak benda lain yang hendak dibuat selepas itu, saya masak yang biasa-biasa sajalah. Seperti minggu lepas, dengan kes hilang dokumen diri yang baru saja selesai, saya penat untuk membuat benda lain dengan bersungguh-sungguh. Jadi, saya masak Nasi Lemak saja. Tapi, inilah yang paling saya suka. Sambal ikan bilis tu wajib. Sambal yang lain kurang sikitlah kalau ikut selera saya ni. Dan sewaktu ada exam selepas raya hari tu, saya hanya menyediakan Mee Hailam saja.

Di sini, kedai makanan halal tidaklah banyak mana. Ada memang ada tapi selera tekak kita ni kadang-kala mengada-ngada hendak merasa macam-macam benda. Kalau tiba masa teringinkan pasta, kalau ke Patio, alamatnya makan pasta makanan laut sajalah. Seperti 2 minggu lepas. Kami serumah semua ke Patio. Manalah puas sangat kan kalau tak dapat ayam atau daging.

Dan petang tadi, lo ho fatto Carbonara Pasta Del Pollo, tutto! Saya berjaya menyediakan Chicken Pasta Carbonara yang menggunakan 100% resepi Italiano. Suka! Suka! Sedap! Menjadi! Huhuhu. Puji masakan sendiri pula =p Hep. Ini komen daripada rakan serumah tau. Semua kata menjadi. Waa. Keterujaan saya untuk mencuba sesuatu yang baru akan terus membara. Ewah~

Saya rasa, mesti ada yang gelakkan saya dengan lagu yang saya letak kali ni. Saya sendiri pun rasa nak tergelak. Tapi, muziknya macam buat saya rasa ringan melayang pula. Layankan sajalah mood saya kali ni ya. Hehe.

Grazie a tutti per la lettura del questo =) Arrivederci tutto!

Posted on October 30th, 2008 by Sarah  |  15 Comments »

Ubah

Assalamualaikum wbt

Sejak saya mula ber-posting di hospital yang terkini ini sejak minggu lepas, setiap kali waktu pulang, saya akan melencong ke satu tempat ini. Saya cuba jadikan rutin harian kerana alang-alang tempat itu cuma 1 stesyen metro saja jaraknya daripada hospital saya. Tambah tolak berjalan kaki, ambil masa kira-kira setengah jam untuk sampai. Kali pertama ke sana, saya berpuasa pada hari itu. Habit saya, kalau saya berpuasa, saya tidak suka bawa duit dalam tangan banyak-banyak. Ada 50 Ruble pun sudah cukup. Dan kali pertama ke sana untuk semester ini, saya bersama-sama dengan seorang kawan, Shahirah.

Hari-hari saya menyinggah ke sana. Paling kurang, saya habiskan 30 minit di sana bermula dengan menuju ke komnata omoveniya, naik ke ruang utama, duduk bersama beberapa kenalan baru dan jika tidak terkejar-kejar balik, saya sempat membaca uchebnik po relegiye. Apabila turun dari ruang utama untuk balik, saya akan melalui semula sebuah pintu pagar kecil untuk menuju ke metro. Di situlah terdapat beberapa orang makcik-makcik tua berdiri menantikan belas ihsan sedekah daripada mereka yang berkunjung. Mereka ini seagama dengan kita. Saya menghampiri mereka. Saya tahu saya tiada duit untuk diberikan kepada mereka. Saya cuma pergi ke arah mereka, saya cium tangan mereka dan peluk mereka sebagai seorang saudara seagama dan mereka balas dengan doa yang dibacakan khas untuk saya. Saya tidak dapat menyumbangkan apa-apa sebaliknya mereka menghadiahi saya doa yang sangat baik maksudnya.

Untuk kesekian kalinya semalam, saya ke sana lagi seorang diri. Sewaktu sedang menghabiskan dua muka uchebnik po relegiye, seorang makcik datang duduk di samping saya dan menyuruh saya meneruskan apa yang saya lakukan. Dia mendengar saja. Matanya basah sebaik saya berpaling melihatnya. Makcik itu bertanya nama dan umur saya. Jawab saya, zavut menya Sarah, mnye 23. Terus dia panjatkan doa untuk saya juga kerana katanya dia sendiri tidak boleh lakukan dengan lancar lagi apa yang saya lakukan tadi. Tapi setidak-tidaknya dia berusaha ke arah itu. Dan sewaktu hendak pulang, 3 orang makcik yang sama setiap hari itu masih berada di pagar kecil itu. Saya salam mereka, peluk dan kemudian dibalas dengan doa dan sapaan khabar oleh makcik-makcik tua ini. Saya minta maaf kepada mereka kerana saya bertangan kosong saja. Saya tak punya apa-apa untuk kali ini.

Dalam perjalanan menuju ke metro, saya mesej emak saya. Saya katakan apa yang terjadi. Hajat di hati terlalu hendak menghulurkan sesuatu tapi saya sendiri juga kini dalam masalah. Saya menuju ke metro dengan mata yang terkebil-kebil sebagai taktik agar air mata tidak luruh. Sampai di rumah, saya baca apa Adik Kecik saya si Khairul yang comel itu tulis di blog peribadinya:

It’s not about how much money you can make. It’s about how much money you can give.

Kesimpulan cerita ini ialah, saya mahu jadi baik. Kalau selama ini saya asyik ditemukan dengan orang yang hipokrit untuk berjalan bersama, sekarang saya nekad, walau saya seorang, saya boleh memulakan perubahan. Ya Allah, saya mahu jadi muslim yang baik. Walau hidup berseorangan, tapi bila saya berada di atas kebenaran, saya tak risau tentang apapun yang lain sebab saya tahu Allah itu sentiasa bersama. Allah itu sentiasa ada.

Nota: Nadia, awak mesti cekal!

Posted on October 29th, 2008 by Sarah  |  13 Comments »