Memory Lane

Amazing how memory lane seems to change everytime you visit it. What I mean is that the same instances in the past can give pain and comfort at different times in one's life as you journey back through time.

We sometimes have selective memories. Like me, my adolescent years are better left not talked about but they were interspersed with beautiful memories too.

Recently my elder sister wrote in our family yahoogroups! her memories of the time she was growing up in our kampung house in Tongkang Yard (I kid u not, this is the name of the place). Her posting was made more colourful with the help from my uncle who sent in these pictures of that specific time for our families (uncles, aunties and cousins too). Yours truly was just a toddler (an ugly chubby one if these pictures were to be of any proof) so I had no idea what she was writing about.

Then I started to pen down my own memories of growing up in Alor Setar. My version was no longer of Tongkang Yard but of Taman Golf. The only thing in common between me and my elder sister (who is a decade and 2 years older than me) was the fact that we grew up tormenting my other sister (who is 4 years older). The middle child syndrome is a theory someone came up with after meeting this sister of mine. Hehehee...

I guess in years to come, my son will be reminiscing his childhood with his kids from the hundreds of pictures I have of him now. "This is when grandpapa brought me to Phuket and I actually piloted the elephant myself...."

Me and my dad

Fatherly love is weird. It's not as straightforward as you may think. Each one of us have different kinds of relationships with our respective dads. Heck, even our siblings enjoy different degrees of closeness with the same person. Of course by default a mother's love is stronger than any bond there is out there, but a dad's? It's personal to holder.

Here is a small collection of pictures we took during Hari Raya.

Asking for forgiveness is a ritual we do before we go out and see other families on the first day of raya.

The youngest addition to the family, Zayn, was patient enough to wear his songkok throughout our lenghty 'salam-salaman' session.

Josh was not really in the mood to pose as he was too busy snapping away on his own camera. This was the best shot of him and us, I tell you.

On other days, it may be the mom who dresses you but for raya, the elusive 'sampin knot' can only be administered by a father.


So how is YOUR relationship with your dad? We each have our own private moments with the old man. It may not be numerous enough but I am sure there was at least one time you really connected with dad. Go give the old guy a hug...