Life was like a box of chocolate. You never know what you gonna get....that's what Forest Gump is famous for saying. Am not sure if my life has any resemblance to a box of chocolate. Not even sure how should I describe my recent life. One thing for sure, it was not like before, since 7 months ago, since the passing away of Mak. I never thought that her demise would affect me much. On second thought, I should have expected that ... as she was one of the most influential persons in my life.
A snapshot of my memory of you, Mak...
Her Adventurous Childhood
Mak was a Virgo, born on Sept 18, 1940. She had a wonderful childhood. An active one and not a typical girl-kinda childhood experience. Climbing up trees and taking dips in small streams were her routines. She even played with Meriam buluh (or bamboo cannon, a type of home-made firecracker which is popular during the Hari Raya festive season) with the late Aruah Kak 'E. Aruah Kak'E almost lost her eye lashes!
From what I was told, she was a bright student and was offered to study in Educational College. Unfortunately she was not allowed to attend.
The Melancholic, Entrepreneurial Side of Mak
If she were to take the Personality Plus test, I bet she'd be a melancholic, the emotional one. She was a perfectionist, who did not tolerate sub-standards work, and who worried much (perhaps unnecessarily too much). It must have been hard for her managing 7 of us who are dominantly characterized with either sanguine or phlegmatic; the take-it-easy, no worry, anything-will-do kinda attitude. Bet it was not easy for Mak either dealing with a husband who is obviously a phlegmatic.
Mak did not know how to 'sit still'. She would have been a better Industrial Engineer then I had been. Her principle is simple - find easy and faster ways to complete your tasks..
She could have been a successful business woman too if she had her means and resources.When we were barely teens, Mak already started selling the multicolored and multi-flavored ais-krim Malaysia, red-beans flavored, green beans, orange, asam boi, you name it, Mak prepared them all. Those days we can only afford the 1-door refrigerator, with a tiny freezer that was fully loaded with berbatang-batang ais-krim Malaysia.
I can even still smell the fragrant nasi lemak that I helped Mak to pack. Mak had a deal with the Ustazah to cook, pack and sell 20-cent nasi lemak to the kids at the Tadika Islam. If memory serves me right, Mak did that till I was in the Prep College.
End of part 1 ...
Wahai Allah, ampunilah Mak, naikkanlah darjatnya diantara orang-orang yang mendapat hidayah, dan lindungilah keluarga dan keturunannya yang masih hidup. Ampunilah dia dan kami, wahai Tuhan sekelian alam, luaskanlah kubur baginya dan berikanlah cahaya didalamnya..Amin
Alfatihah
A snapshot of my memory of you, Mak...
Her Adventurous Childhood
Mak was a Virgo, born on Sept 18, 1940. She had a wonderful childhood. An active one and not a typical girl-kinda childhood experience. Climbing up trees and taking dips in small streams were her routines. She even played with Meriam buluh (or bamboo cannon, a type of home-made firecracker which is popular during the Hari Raya festive season) with the late Aruah Kak 'E. Aruah Kak'E almost lost her eye lashes!
From what I was told, she was a bright student and was offered to study in Educational College. Unfortunately she was not allowed to attend.
The Melancholic, Entrepreneurial Side of Mak
If she were to take the Personality Plus test, I bet she'd be a melancholic, the emotional one. She was a perfectionist, who did not tolerate sub-standards work, and who worried much (perhaps unnecessarily too much). It must have been hard for her managing 7 of us who are dominantly characterized with either sanguine or phlegmatic; the take-it-easy, no worry, anything-will-do kinda attitude. Bet it was not easy for Mak either dealing with a husband who is obviously a phlegmatic.
Mak did not know how to 'sit still'. She would have been a better Industrial Engineer then I had been. Her principle is simple - find easy and faster ways to complete your tasks..
She could have been a successful business woman too if she had her means and resources.When we were barely teens, Mak already started selling the multicolored and multi-flavored ais-krim Malaysia, red-beans flavored, green beans, orange, asam boi, you name it, Mak prepared them all. Those days we can only afford the 1-door refrigerator, with a tiny freezer that was fully loaded with berbatang-batang ais-krim Malaysia.
I can even still smell the fragrant nasi lemak that I helped Mak to pack. Mak had a deal with the Ustazah to cook, pack and sell 20-cent nasi lemak to the kids at the Tadika Islam. If memory serves me right, Mak did that till I was in the Prep College.
End of part 1 ...
Wahai Allah, ampunilah Mak, naikkanlah darjatnya diantara orang-orang yang mendapat hidayah, dan lindungilah keluarga dan keturunannya yang masih hidup. Ampunilah dia dan kami, wahai Tuhan sekelian alam, luaskanlah kubur baginya dan berikanlah cahaya didalamnya..Amin
Alfatihah
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