Life Reminders

A few things happened this week that made me stop and give a long hard look at my life.

1. One of En Rashid's office mates passed away due to lung cancer on Wednesday. She was 38 years old; still young and had her whole life ahead of her. The sad part is that no one really knew she had cancer. The office found out only when she was hospitalized on Monday. They had planned for a doa selamat on that Wednesday but later found out she had passed on that morning.

I feel bad because I've been to En Rashid's office many times and I just can't place this person anywhere. En Rashid said I may not have noticed her since she was always on MC or had a doctor's checkup. Still I feel bad because apparently her seat is just opposite En Rashid's cubicle.

One thing I noticed though, in the workplace, the grieving period only lasts a day. If there are urgent matters at hand, then half a day. Then people go on with their lives and you become part of their distant memories. I'm pretty sure that's what would happen when it comes for me to go. So why do we spend so much time in a place that would forget us so easily than being with the ones that really care?

2. A friend of mine told me about her aunt who had passed away recently due to illness. The sad part was, throughout her hard life, she raised 9 children and her sick mom, only to be neglected in her own time of need. 9 children and not one took her in when she got sick! Even when she was hospitalized, the children did not come to visit her or help take her home when it was time to check out. When she passed away, she was alone. When she was found, it was not immediate.

The "best" part is that most, if not all, of her children are very religious. Some of them live abroad, learning and teaching about Islam. Youw ould think people who are so pious would know about the basic stuff, like taking care of your parents. According to my friend, apparently some people get to pick and choose which part of religion they want to follow. Selective memory.

I was so sad when I heard the news about my friend's aunts' passing. In a way, relieved because she no longer suffering but extremely angry at the way she had been treated by her children. I shudder at the thought that I may turn out like that if it comes to my own parents or PIL. I cry at the thought that my own children may toss me aside when I'm old.

Reminders of how short our life is. And how we should always strive to make the best of it.

RIP Steve Jobs

Heard the news from Min this morning that Steve Jobs had passed away.

For us who's lives revolve around gadgets and technology, it is indeed a sad moment. An icon of our generation is gone.

RIP Steve Jobs. Thanks for all the iGadgets.

AlFatihah Untuk Keluarga Arwah Dr. Lo' Lo'

Rasanya semua mungkin dah dengar berita. Dr. Lo' Lo' meninggal dunia malam semalam akibat kanser. Berita yang sedih, bukan sahaja bagi penyokong politik beliau tapi juga saudara mara dan sahabat handai.

Aku kenal arwah sebab rumah dia betul2 sebelah rumah arwah atok aku kat Keramat. Selama kitaorang kena dia, memang beliau seorang yang baik hati dan peramah. Tak kedekut dengan senyuman. Masa atok aku sakit dulu, dia selalu datang menjenguk, bagi ubat, bagi nasihat. Memang baik orangnya.

Aku tak tau pun dia sakit. Maybe dia tak bagitau orang kot. Or maybe aku je yang tak tau. Apa2 pun, aku harap dia pergi dengan aman. Harap keluarganya pun dapat hadapi dugaan ini dengan tabah.

Semoga roh Arwah Dr. Lo' Lo' ditempatkan disisi mereka yang diredhai oleh Allah.

Goodbye, Atok

We buried our grandfather yesterday.

He passed away around 12.45am Friday, 13th November 2010.

He was 89 years old.

He died in his sleep, surrounded by his children and grandchildren.

I received the call from my mom around 1.15am. After putting Daria and Wati in the girls' room, hubby and I headed to Keramat.

Most of my uncles, aunts and cousins were already there.

Atok looked like he was sleeping.

Calm.

Peaceful.

We took turns reading the Quran beside Atok until the mosque people came for his body at 930am. We took him to the nearby mosque for his final bath and solat jenazah.

Around 11am, we headed to the burial ground.

By 12pm, everything was complete. Atok was in his final resting place.

We headed back to Atok's house for lunch. Everyone was tired, physically and emotionally.

After lunch, hubby and I headed back home to bathe and get some rest.

After Maghrib, we went back to Atok's house for tahlil, this time with the kids and Wati.

After tahlil, we all had dinner together.

We talked and laughed and reminisced about Atok.

He was loved.

He will be missed.

"Sesungguhnya segala yang hidup akan mati. Apabila anak Adam meninggal dunia maka akan terputus segala amalannya kecuali tiga perkara; sedekah jariah, ilmu yang bermanfaat dan anak soleh yang mendoakan kepadanya."