island in the sun

from afar it is an island in a green sea. or lake.

it is at the extreme end of the village. surrounded by the rich green of padi plants.

as you go nearer there is a surprise. a house peeps amongst trees of all shapes and sizes. 

a house weathered by the elements. a doorway without panels, covered with a sheet of rusty metal at night. furnishings practically nil. some mattresses on the floor in the living room. a solitary chair. a worn out table. mosquito nets. 

a young boy plays with a little girl under mango trees with deep green leaves. several skinny hens flit by. a grandmother is cooking in a dilapidated kitchen.

it is Aidil Adha. but there will not be rendang or ketupat aplenty on the table. no rich cakes. no spread of cookies. only rice and perhaps fish. a vegetable. hot tea or plain boiled water. 

trials and tribulations come in various forms.

hope, perseverance and hard work have to prevail.

there is a glimmer of better things lurking over the horizon.

an alley tale

she went second hand book hunting with her eldest girl. she was looking for more daphne du mauriers. she couldn't find any. so she settled for buchan. and some enid blytons for her students.

they bought 2 packets of  ais tingkap's tantalisingly yummy 'ais campur' . then she saw him. sitting forlornly in front of his ancient cart. no fire under the old wok. the egg noodles in a huge heap untouched. no customers in front of him. while other hawkers were busy with good business.

he was terribly old, his back hunched. his movements slow. she wondered sadly whether he was alone in the world, without wife or children. otherwise why was he still trying to eke out a living while hardly able to stand?

he should be at home. he should be resting. he should have good food to eat. he should be reading the Quran. he should have children to take good care of him. 

why is he still at the alley of a pulsating city, rain or shine, frying mee for a few miserable ringgits each day?

dear readers, if you happen to be at the alley beside a market selling all kinds of preserved fruit in Tanjong, across the road from the Penang Road Police Station, look out for a noodle hawker near the Ais Tingkap stall. look for the old man nearly bent double manning a mee rebus/goreng/nasi goreng cart. do buy a packet or two from him. he serves customers with a smile.

it is so beautiful to be kind. 

minimalist

her home is a reflection of her self. and her career.

devoid of clutter. no huge floral decorations. no scallops and chandeliers. no elaborate furniture.

just a jar of strelitziers or bird of paradise, ginger torch and papyrus. a few pots of orchids here and there.

but there is a huge white book case. filled to the brim with her favourites and new works.

in the living room is a tiny 16 inch tv. a mix and match of a 2-seater sofa, 2 black and pine armchairs, a 2-seater wooden chair, an extremely simple black coffee table, a small red shaggy carpet, a globe, a table lamp and an oil painting. plain black and white curtains.

the dining area has a black glass table with six red chairs, indirect lighting fixtures and a rattan chest. and an exerciser. a huge world map takes centre stage on the dining room wall.

the kitchen cabinet is black. cooking utensils are  red, black, white and stainless steel. crockery in cheerful stoneware, clear modernist glass, corningware. cutleries in black and stainless steel.

the study has a drawing board, tables and chairs, more bookshelves and serves as a storage area too.

the master bedroom has a simple black king sized bed with pastel mono-toned cotton bedsheets, plenty of multi colored cushions, two black side tables, table lamps, mirror, a comfy armchair, a mini fridge and a tv. a picture of The Kaabah and Masjidil Haram. and a few luminous stars on the bedroom and bathroom doors. plain pale blue and white curtains.

other rooms have white single beds and side tables. chest of drawers. bamboo blinds and pale blue curtains.

two rattan chairs and a table on the terrace.

her little garden is filled with herbs, ferns, scented flowering plants, orchids. and wildflowers. plus tiny birds and butterflies.

and dear little kiko and koko.

talent, hope

in a class in a small village.

rickety tables. even more rickety  chairs. there are no white, green or black boards. but the 15 or so students are eager, enthusiastic and very polite. fresh young faces are upturned and tuned in to her every word. they range from 7 years to sixteen.

they are enraptured and captivated by knowledge. which is the best of all.

they are the sons and daughters of fishermen, lorry drivers, labourers. their mothers are either housewives or work tirelessly in some factories for the extra dime.

but these boys and girls are the promises of greater things to come for these families.

she is blessed to know them. and to offer a little guidance. to show them the road to a whole new world. where they will find material and spiritual success. and the most important factor - to utilise these successes for the benefit of all, their religion, Islam, themselves, their families, their community, their country. the world. mankind.

she teaches them new languages. english. a smattering of french. german. russian. mandarin. she tells them about the solar system, the universe. she takes them on imaginary journeys around the country, the world, even to far away galaxies. she tells them about black holes in outer space, time warp, solar flares, asteroids. she makes them quick in arithmetic. she makes them think fast. she instructs them in drawing. she explains patiently about the ecology, the environment, about why they have to be intelligent people. and have big ambitions. and be an all rounder too. 

and to hunger for more knowledge. to read. read. and read.

now those boys and girls know that the capital of Iceland is Reykjavik, that Washington's DC stands for District of Columbia, that the Great Wall of China can be seen from the moon, that Pluto is no longer considered a full fledged planet, that Uranus is a "new" planet.....

she even touches on personal grooming and style, color coordination in dressing, why it is important to have good public speaking ability ....

and when they grow up they have to be good Islamic engineers, doctors, architects, CEOs, businesspersons....etc. and most of all to be kind. to be good people. there is so much joy in kindness. in doing good.

she makes learning fun, even a game. she loves to see the boys and girls laugh and smile in her class. always asking for extra time after lessons. 

some cool mornings she takes them on a ramble around the village. showing them the tiny wild flowers on the paths most people would miss. the lovely purple rhododendrons. the eagles soaring the heavens. the pure white herons in green green padi fields. the distant mountain ranges turning blue-green. the cloud formations. the azure tropical sky. nature at its best.

knowing all of you children is so beautiful.

thank you boys and girls for showing that beauty lies in the most unexpected of places....