my '07 birthday

i have this thought that this year would be a bitter birthday since my parents is not around, cuz then i knw my brothers would forget my birthday too cuz they never do unless my dad n mum give them reminder (through a buffet dinner nonetheless). my sister always remember my birthday as her birthday is a week apart from mine.

my best and most memorable birthday would be when i turned 9. i was a bit bumped at first cuz neither my dad nor my mom greeted me happy birthday in the morning (the brothers pun jgn harap la), but my dad told me that we'd be having dinner at my fav place, XO; of which i recall is situated in Bandar Ramai-Ramai Sandakan. i can still remember what i wore, a cute grey skirt with purple bow on my head...(it's post 80's, gimme a break!). heran jua tgk my parents senyum lebar2 but still didn't wish me happy birthday. my uncle went to the car and brought a cake from the car...it was a huge cake with cute garfield on it..that was the last cake i ever had with candles for birthday. still it was the best birthday i ever got, perhaps because of the anticipation -- with parents and brothers being extra nice though haven't gave me the wishes.

yesterday was my birthday. i turned 22. biani mun birthday di tunggu2 sb luan nunggu umuu meningkat. kaang ani inda lagi. turning 22 made me feel much much much older, yet not much wiser than before. turning 22 made me feel that i have more responsibility to take. and most importantly (and obvious) turning 22 made me think that all type of clock is ticking away without me having any improvement.

supposedly to celebrate my birthday me and my girlfriends would be going out for dinner, but since babe's mom is here we switched plans and have a small gathering at babe's house instead. birthday girl turned to be driver girl, driving babe's mom to menggatal to visit her relative. there, i get the best gift for birthday i could ever had.

it was a piece of advice to me from babe's uncle, a wise man indeed.

"lai, walaupun ko habis sudah diploma, uncle faham baiknya ko karaja arah bapa mama mu. tapi don't ever stop learning. kalau boleh sambung lagi ke degree, master. InsyaAllah, berjaya. kita mengambil sijil ani bukannya untuk bkaraja arah dangan saja. it's self-fulfillment and most importantly qualification will make u qualified to be a leader. kitani kekurangan banar pemimpin org diri!"

i was deeply moved. there he sat, and i take that very much like a fatherly advice. it's God's blessing for me. people can say million words, millions of times, but if it's really what Allah wanted and what my parents have been praying for for years, it need only once to be said, and will instantly have a deep place in heart.

for me, that's the best gift ever.

though my parents forgot to greet me, but it's understood that there is time difference between here and there. plus they are leaving Madinah after Asr for Makkah. mum and dad called and greet me, i doesn't matter if it's late, all i know is their prayer is with me.

happy birthday to me, a year older, hopefully much wiser.