A Mother's Day Special

PROLOGUE

This is Arif and Akmal practicing their Mother's Day special. They are supposed to perform this beautiful P Ramlee's song, which I would consider the anthem for all mothers, at my sis' in front of their nenek, their own mum (which would be an anticlimax since she would have heard them practicing all day), and their aunties.

They would also be performing Bahasa Cinta (or better known as Tiada Kata Secantik Bahasa), which I thought is very appropriate for the occasion and Sri Bunian. All the songs were written by P Ramlee.

Here's one for Mak. Happy Mother's Day, Mak dan semoga mendapat keberkatan dari Tanah Suci.



Have you ever really loved a woman (Part II 2008)

So Mother's Day is here again. I remember it last year when I wrote a piece on Mak, while I was away on a project in Kerteh. A year has since passed, and this time around I am in the comfort of my own room, but not necessarily full of ideas of what to write.

I remember reading a quote on mother. "A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie."

This one I don't disagree. It fits mak well. But then again she is more than just that.

One thing for sure, while it is not easy to be a mother, it is even harder to being a mother to 13 not-so-young children. It is often said that one mother can take care of her so many children, but the reverse may not necessarily be true. Thirteen independent children with their own mind and lives and not necessarily in sync with one another, and may not even see eye to eye and her role as the centre of the family's universe and keep everybody in their place.

A mother never cease being a mother even when the children are old and gray. According to Honore De Balzac: A mother who is really a mother is never free.

I remember coming back, after a long shift - I was working at a cement plant in Padang Rengas, Perak then, to our empty house. It was so quiet, it was actually soulless. Mak was not around as she would normally be. So I went to my grandma's house in Aulong and was told by my cousin that Mak was in hospital. I chided him for not telling me at the plant, fully aware that the year 1986 was unlike 2008 with the proliferation of the cellphones. So I rushed to the Taiping GH - it was 9 pm or slightly later, but I could not see her.

It was close to 10.30 pm when she was wheeled to the operating room. I could not speak to her - she was in so much pain. I was helpless (and clueless, I must admit). Having a degree in chemical engineering, and having just started my career, I was in no position to offer her anything to alleviate her pain.

The main thing that crossed my mind then was that I knew I should have taken medicine and be a doctor - only then I may offer her something.

But I was glad I started my career in my own hometown that at least I was there when it all happened. Thankfully her appendix operation went smoothly that night and she recovered fully.

And I am glad to say that even when she is fast approaching 70 years old, she is still healthy enough to travel up and down KL and she is even travelling to the Holy Land tonight, again.

Read "Have you ever really loved a woman (Part I 2007)."