THIS IS MY STORY

Arranging for a family gets together is not an easy assignment. It made it more difficult when you need to accommodate with 35 different characters, personalities and necessities. It took a lot of your time, energy, internet bills, and hand phone bills and in my case my prepaid dries out really fast. And one must be very good in sourcing, organizing, bargaining, manipulating and cursing.

And currently we, The Hashim’s tribe are organizing our due family holiday (we missed out last year holiday because some of us fall sick and were confined to the house arrest the entire school holiday). As usual, since day one I will be the main person who will do all the ground work. Crack my head searching for the right venue, the right date, the right budget, the fun in the sun itinerary and so forth. I need to get all the name list, put them in groups, arrange for their rooms, make sure that the surrounding is safe for the children, make sure food is good, service is good, aircond working for all the rooms, toilets are in tip top condition, with astro and of course internet connection. And above all I need to make sure that it is within the budget of our generous Paymaster. And every year she never failed to come out with a holiday suggestion.

“Let’s do the family holiday thingy. Last year tak boleh buat, everyone kena sampuk hantu. You’re free right, so, you go and look for a place for 3 days 2 nights, you come out with the itinerary and let me know how much. Haiya, I pay lah or I get my Latok to pay. See lah sapa yang kena. Hello friend, you think I got no money? Haiya you. You do the arrangement. I sponsor mah; don’t expect me to do the work. I just want to know the figure. You’re very good at this, you do lah.”

With that I am her official Machai. And there will be hundreds of phone calls from her chasing me and pushing me. I can never have a really good night sleep until it is over.

I still remember our first family holiday. My dad was still around and that was our last gathering. My dad passed away a month after our holiday. We rent 3 units of bungalow at A-Famosa Melaka with small private swimming pool each.

My parents never stayed up late, but that night we went to watch the Parade after dinner at the Cowboy town. My dad was sitting at the 2nd front row smiling from ear to ear. I managed to capture him in my camcorder.

A year after my dad passed away, we organized a surprised birthday bash for our dear mother. We invited my mum’s siblings, all her nieces and nephews, drove all her good friends from Kuantan to KL, put all of them in the hotel and booked a seminar room at Sheraton Subang. We put up performances for her. She was so happy and deep down I wish that my dad is around.

I also helped my brother in law organizing a supposed to be a surprise birthday bash for my sister. Well she knew from the start since everyone came and stayed at her house that weekend. But she didn’t know that I have actually invited all her classmates, her school teachers, her ex officemate and all her closest friends (I had to go all over the world to look for their hand phone numbers and email addresses). Again, we asked her children and husband to put up a performance for her. And it was worth all the pain and sweat.

Our last family trip was a 4 days 3 nights trip to Kalumpang Resort, Tanjung Malim Perak. We rent 7 chalets and I really like the place. My room was facing the pond. We organized a karaoke competition and my husband and I won 2nd place. We received a watch each sponsored by my brother in law. We spend our evenings at the mini waterfall splashing water at each other.

The highlight of our gathering was a trip to Mekah & Madinah. Even though some of my siblings are not able to join us, but we had a great time. To sat eyes on the majestic Kaabah (the house of God), I felt that I was so small, so tiny and how God has blessed me with this opportunity. I never stopped asking for HIS forgiveness for my deficiency, my sins and grant me with stronger faith, good health, a happy home and blessed my marriage and grant me with healthy kids.

I thanked Him for giving my sister extra ‘rezeki’ and May God blessed her and her family (our whole trip for the whole family was paid by my generous sister) with more fortune so she could do more good things for other people.

Just recently we organized a Birthday Gathering for my mum. But this time is on a smaller scale than before. Coincidentally, my mum’s birthday fall on the same day as the Birthday of Prophet Muhammad SAW so we performed Solat Maghrib, Isyak, Hajat a short Taskirah about the Prophet Muhammad SAW legacy, His last request to his followers, His hopes to all his people, moments before He passed away.

The story was told in a very beautiful ways. It touches many hearts including mine. It made me realized the sacrifices that our Prophets Muhammad SAW has to go through. Praise to God, I am among the chosen one. I am lucky to be borne as a Muslim, to be raised as one and I pray to God that when it is time for me to go, I will go as a faithful and devoted Muslim. Islam will remain in me until the day I die.

Anyway, it was a very meaningful event. Quite a number of people turn up. We had a roast lamb and it finish off quite fast compared to other food. As usual my sister never failed to satisfy our ‘tummy’ with delicious food.

And now, I am working my ass off for our new Family Holiday Projects. Few places has been chosen but I decided to go for somewhere nearer, not that expensive (I do not have the hearts to spend her money on lavish holidays), easy and not a burden to anyone without international passport (my brother will have to fork out about 2K for his family if we decided to go overseas).

So it has been decided that the Eagle Ranch Resort, PD will be our next destinations. It has lots of outdoor activities for the children, teenagers and adults. And the best thing is I can go on horse riding … oh dear, I hope the poor horses would be able to sustain my weight and carry me around with pride. Sha...la...la...la…la…

Note: I shall write about my family holiday experiences in my next write up.

~*~ KEBAHAGIAAN INI ~*~

Bingkisan rindu dari seorang anak....

Aku bukan dilahirkan di dalam keluarga yang kaya raya, punya harta menggunung tapi aku kaya dengan kehadiran Emak dan Abah yang amat menyayangi kami, ditambah pula dengan kehadiran adik beradik yang agak ramai dan meriah. Kehadiran anak-anak saudara ku yang selori menambahkan lagi kemeriahan kami sekeluarga. Melengkapkan lagi label keluarga bahagia ku. Aku kaya dengan kasih sayang, kasih sayang dari seorang ibu, seorang ayah. Kasih sayang yang disemai dalam diri aku sejak dari aku mula dilahirkan lagi.

Ketika kedatangan hari raya rumah pasti akan sentiasa penuh dengan hilai tawa dan gelak tawa. Cuma semenjak kepulangan Abah kesayangan ke Rahmatullah rumah ini makin kurang serinya. Tunggak kekuatan kami telah pergi meninggalkan kami.

Namun, sisa-sisa kehidupan ini masih perlu diteruskan. Walaupun sedikit pincang tapi kekuatan, kecekalan, kasih sayang Abah dan wajah riang Abah sentiasa memenuhi setiap ruang di rumah kami. Hati kecil ini sering merindukan gelak tawanya, rindukan peluk ciumnya. Alangkah bertuahnya jika dapat bertemu dengannya semula walaupun hanya sesaat. Dan kerana kasih sayangnya juga kami tetap tabah meneruskan hidup tanpanya.

Entah kenapa malam ini terasa sungguh syahdu. Tidak mungkin aku melupakan wajah itu, senyuman itu, suara itu. Setiap selesai solat, setiap kali bayangan wajahnya melintas di kotak fikiran, setiap kali hati ini terdetik teringatkannya, pasti aku alunkan ayat-ayat suci Al-Quran buat hadiah sebagai tanda kasih sayang aku kepadanya. Sentiasa aku panjatkan doa agar rohnya di tempatkan di kalangan mereka yang beriman, memohon agar Allah SWT memberi keampunan di atas segala dosa-dosanya, di ringankan hisab kuburnya, di besarkan dan di terangi kuburnya dengan kebaikan yang pernah dia lakukan ketika hayatnya.

Ingin aku titipkan buat rakan-rakan yang masih mempunyai ayah dan ibu, hargailah saat-saat bersama mereka, sayangilah mereka, kasihanilah mereka, martabatkanlah mereka, dan kenangilah jasa-jasa mereka walaupun tangan-tangan itu tidak pernah membesarkan kamu, tidak pernah menyuapkan makanan ke mulutmu dan tangan-tangan itu yang pernah memukul kamu satu masa dahulu, mulut itulah yang pernah menghalau kamu keluar dari rumah, dan kaki itulah yang pernah singgah ke badanmu.

Ingatlah takkala mereka menutup mata, disaat Allah menjemput mereka kita hanya mampu berdoa agar dosa kita diampuninya, susu diberi dihalalkan oleh mereka, dan betapa sunyinya kehidupan ini nanti tanpa kasih sayang mereka.

Alhamdullillah, aku di beri rezeki oleh Allah SWT untuk berada di samping arwah ayah ketika dia masih sihat, menghantarnya ke hospital ketika dia sakit, mengucup pipinya dan memegang tangannya sambil membisikkan kata kasih sayangku padanya, memohon keampunan di atas dosa-dosa aku, meminta Abah menghalalkan setiap keringatnya yang tumpah untuk membesarkan aku, membaca yassin buatnya ketika dia sedang bertarung nyawa, membisikkan kalimah Syahadah di telinganya, melihat ombakan terakhir nafasnya, dan menyaksikan kepulangan anak Adam kepada penciptaNYA.

Aku menyaksikan semuanya dengan rasa penuh kesyahduan dan keinsafan. Aku kehilangan tapi aku puas kerana perginya abah dengan kehadiran aku di sisinya. Perginya Abah dengan kasih sayang aku yang di bawa bersamanya. Perginya Abah dengan doa restu dari isteri dan anak-anaknya. Perginya Abah setelah mengampuni dosa-dosa isteri serta kami anak-anaknya. Perginya Abah setelah menatap wajah isteri, putera serta puteri-puterinya. Perginya Abah dengan iringan kalimah Syahadah di satu subuh yang sunyi dan hening.

Walaupun tangis kami mengiringi pemergian Abah, tapi, itulah kebahagiaan yang akan aku bawa hingga ke Akhirat nanti.

Al-Fatihah buat Ayahanda Tersayang Haji Hashim bin Abdul Rahman. Semoga roh Abah ditempatkan di kalangan mereka yang soleh dan beramal, Amin. Anak-anakmu sentiasa merindui mu.

OOOPPPPSSS ... I DID IT AGAIN !

Ooooppsss I did it again.

I have ignored my blog for quite sometimes now and thank god I still remember my user Id and the password. I do not have a valid reason for that but I was just too busy doing other things. I was busy looking for a new cook for my small noodle stall, I was busy interviewing the right candidate for my daycare centre, keeping up with the latest ‘after effect’ tsunami of Malaysia’s Election Result.

And as a result, I missed out few important birthdays write ups, special event and the most recent, the sudden passing of my beloved uncle (Al-Fatiha. May his soul rest in Peace, Amin)

I miss blogging so much but, again I couldn’t find the right time to update my activities. There are so many things to tell and I am not sure which one should go first.

Just last week, the Officers from Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat paid a surprise visit to our Kiddie Centre. Ooohh... and he are not so happy with my documentations. The supervisor in-charge is on leave and her replacement is still new and not sure what is where. And I was given a week to complete my paperwork or my business might be in jeopardy. And for the last one week, I have been working my ass off completing the documents and preparing all sorts of report cards, health report cards, artwork report card, and visitor report card. There are so many things to do, but so little time.

I have missed few wedding invitations at the same time. I guess it is not too late for me to wish Syed and wife, congratulations and may you have a wonderful year to come.

I wish I could write longer. But my beloved husband is sitting next to me with his cheeky smile and well I guess it is time for me to switch off my laptop.

So good nights folks. I shall update my blog from now on (I PROMISE).