Yesterday the family celebrated Opah’s birthday. Opah to all our kids, mak to the rest of us - her brood and menantus. Her 63rd. It was the usual boisterous affair, surrounded by most of her loved ones. With the exception of my firstborn, who was at school since it’s a weekday, my brother who was still stuck at work (no sis, it was your older bro, the hotshot producer was already home) and of course you - my dearest sister who is away down under, the rest were there to sing and wish her. Sis dearest, you wud be happy to know that little Ben was as cute and active as ever. Each time his dad lighted a candle (on the brownie that you know who baked lah of course, eh btw, she made rilly, rilly delicious cream puffs lah..you MUST get her to make some when you come home for your break), he would happily blow it off, so as you might imagine that process went on for awhile….We have some photos but so as to not heighten your misery, you can just picture the scene in your head lah ok.
Anyway, this year me and hubby and the kids got mak something rather special. It’s a book called “SHE – A tribute to the Women of Malaysia”. Aaah…befitting don’t you think so. Of cos Paksu was a tad annoyed that I beat him to it since he had actually seen the book on the shelves way before I did but due to some miscommunication with mak, he had the impression that she already had a copy. It’s one of those coffee table books, which personally I thought should have been of better quality but doesn’t matter lah. Mak appeared more than once in the book, so that was good enough.
Mak has always been this resilient woman, with incredible strength and determination. She stayed away from abah when she was a young mother with a toddler and an elderly mother to take care of back on home soil. Much later she left and took the four of us to live in the States while she did her sabbatical. Now, my younger sister looks set in following her footsteps. At this rate she may be the one amongst us who will leave a mark in women history of the country..mana tau, jadi first female AG in years to come..? Ok tu sis…I tumpang bangga je..
Anyway, although mak and I do not always agree, she always gets my respect. Of course, she is not without imperfections but those are hard to come by. All in all, she is the one I still turn to, in time of need. Hubby used to joke he can hardly get me to listen to him, cos I will only agree if the things he says come from either my girlfriends, my sister or mak.
Growing up, I guess there were times when I did not live up to her expectations and I sometimes wish things could have been different. But as always, everything happens for a reason. I am now a grown woman and mother of 3 but I still listen to her a lot and many decisions I make I do so taking her views into consideration. Heck, mak even heavily influenced who I ended up marrying. Hubby played his cards well and won her heart before I actually fell for him so by the time I had second thoughts mak kinda prodded me along and before I knew it things were progressing towards us being husband and wife.
Mak taught me a lot of things. From the days when I was a kid when she made me underline words in Ladybird books to do spelling with me, right up to helping me when I first started breastfeeding. To offering me words of comfort when things were rough for me and hubby, and dishing out sound advice when I face situations involving my kids. When feelings are ruffled in the family, she is there to ensure we stay civil. She can be a bit straight and will blurt out things she should not but she always means well and never has a hidden agenda. With mak, there is a never a need to second guess her motives so what you see is what you get. In all honesty, there are things that I wish she could see from different perspectives, but warts and all, she is alright. Always my voice of reason, mak is always, always my pillar of strength.
So, to mak, thank you for all that you are. Although I know she is not privy to my blog entries, I am sure she knows that she is loved and thought of always. Semoga panjang umur, sihat selalu, insyaAllah.
God bless.
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