Big H came back home from school one day and straight away sat on our blue futon...immediately, I saw that he was inexpertly trying to hide something behind his back..
Mama: What's that you have there?
Big H: Nothing.Mama: Tsk...I can see that you're hiding something there....what is it?Big H: It's nothing! (Sounding a little desperate..)
I looked at him...Ish budak ni...macam ada bawak something really 'wrong'...like drugs...or a porn mag...or something illegal??? But I shook my head to clear these crazy thoughts..for god's sake he's only 7!!Big H: (Showing his empty hands to me confidently..) See...nothing!
And that's when I saw the small, glittering pink card hidden just underneath his jacket...
Mama: (Grabbing the little card..) Aha! What's this?
Big H: No..!!!! I don't want to go! (Really looking desperate now..)
Mama: Huh?? Oh..It's an invitation to a birthday party...pergilah. (I know the girl and the parents - nice people...)
Big H: But I don't want to! (Really adamant, really serious..)
Mama: Huh? Apasal pulak...Why don't you want to go?
Big H: Because...because..it's a girl's birthday party.
Mama: La....apa salahnya...doesn't matter if it's a girl or a boy having a birthday party. If we get an invite to one we should try to go unless we really can't, you know? What if it was your birthday party and all the people you invited didn't want to come?Big H: But..but..
Mama: But what?? (Getting impatient...) Big H: But I'm the only boy invited!!Mama: Ohh....
La...malu rupanya...he he he he
But it turned out that he had madrasah to go to anyway that particular evening so I went to see the girl's parents to give my apologies for not being able to send him to the party...
My little boy has 'grown'...he really has.
It's been a long time since I've been to a masjid for solat jemaah.Even for sembahyang raya. It's either Little H was not ready. Or Mr S wanted to be quick because he had to go to work straight after - so the kids couldn't go, therefore I couldn't.Or we were all late, what with all the prep done the night before - which is a real shame...But these are not excuses for me to skip the whole thing...I will always just do it at home if I couldn't make it to the masjid...
But that's not the same is it?
Anyway, this raya had been different.
Well, Mr S still didn't get any leave because too many people in his office were off already for some exams...but at least he got a few hours off in the morning for prayers.
And because I didn't prepare anything at all for raya this time - didn't bother because we had two invites that evening and even the day before and Mr S would be working the whole day anyway - I was well refreshed in the morning and was quite determined to go.
Yup...it's been so long that the beautiful voice of the imam reciting the verses made me cry.
It was good.
And I felt good.
There was no takbir raya before or after the solat. Just a quick explanation of the solat before we started and the peaceful sermon afterwards in which the imam encouraged us to recite the takbir as much as we can for three whole days..But I thought it was a really good sermon. It wasn't too long and it was clear and concise - about peace and humility.
I realised then that I'm parched for this kind of thing. I mean, really...I've not been to a majlis ilmu for a long, long time. Mr S is lucky as he gets his dosage from the Jumaat prayers.
So I'm thinking maybe I should just go to the mosque on Fridays...I mean, the kids will be at school, the mosque is a mere 10 minutes walk away...and I see women go there on Fridays all the time...
I'm just thinking...maybe I should.
But anyway, after the prayers Mr S went to work and I went straight to the kitchen - I had an order for some lopis and kasui for that evening and I wanted to bake a cake to bring to my friends' later after Mr S comes home - which was at about half six later in the evening and only then, we finally 'celebrated' raya haji this year with food and friends.
That's all.
But it was a good Aidil Adha to me nevertheless.
