It was my 34th birthday yesterday. Compared to previous years, it was a very low-key event, if I can even call it event. Nothing much. Not many wishes as my handphone went down the toilet and sent for repair. So, I didn't get any SMS.
However, there's something I realised this year that made it, I believe the most memorable birthday so far. Normally, if one celebrates a birthday, the birthday boy or girl will be celebrated - lunch, dinner, party, cakes, presents... But nobody would remember the person who gave birth to that celebrated person - the mother! It's the mother who should be celebrated. She's the one who endured the pains and sufferings of pregnancy and child-birth.
Yesterday evening when I picked up Sarah, I told my mother I was going to my brother, Angah's house as he bought us a cake. (Both of us share birthday you see.) My mother gave me a blank look. She was holding this tupperware of some chicken and beef she bought for me at the pasar malam. She didn't remember my birthday. In fact, she doesn't remember much these days. But she recovered quickly and told me in jest that the chicken and beef are her birthday present for me!
My mother's blank look kept on repeating itself in my head the whole night. At that point of time she looked so vulnerable, so frail, so old... She's the one who should be celebrated, not me nor my brother. We should throw her a party, buy her presents, because she gave birth to us. She gave us life. We owe her our lives...
I wanted to hug her at that time. I wanted to tell her I love her. But I was too stunned and too shy. I will buy her that green tudung tonight. I will give her and I will tell her I love her...
However, there's something I realised this year that made it, I believe the most memorable birthday so far. Normally, if one celebrates a birthday, the birthday boy or girl will be celebrated - lunch, dinner, party, cakes, presents... But nobody would remember the person who gave birth to that celebrated person - the mother! It's the mother who should be celebrated. She's the one who endured the pains and sufferings of pregnancy and child-birth.
Yesterday evening when I picked up Sarah, I told my mother I was going to my brother, Angah's house as he bought us a cake. (Both of us share birthday you see.) My mother gave me a blank look. She was holding this tupperware of some chicken and beef she bought for me at the pasar malam. She didn't remember my birthday. In fact, she doesn't remember much these days. But she recovered quickly and told me in jest that the chicken and beef are her birthday present for me!
My mother's blank look kept on repeating itself in my head the whole night. At that point of time she looked so vulnerable, so frail, so old... She's the one who should be celebrated, not me nor my brother. We should throw her a party, buy her presents, because she gave birth to us. She gave us life. We owe her our lives...
I wanted to hug her at that time. I wanted to tell her I love her. But I was too stunned and too shy. I will buy her that green tudung tonight. I will give her and I will tell her I love her...