ODE TO MY FAMILY

I had just been off the phone with my youngest sister, who has again told me that in a few hours my two other sisters will come join her at her house that she shares with a friend in Nilai where they will ‘melepak’ or go ‘jalan-jalan’ around KL until the early hours of the morning ( I am sure of it!!), much to my discontent (and jealousy of course as I am stuck here in Kota Kinabalu where the definition of melepak is ‘teh ais’ at Ziemal in Indah Permai) and I wished I was there with all of them.
Since my youngest sis left Kota Kinabalu to work in KL last month, we keep in touch very often at least twice a week if I can manage it. As for my two other sisters I ring them up once in a while but its not for the lack of sisterliness ( I think I am going to get arrested by the grammar police!) between us. I love them all to bits as I am sure they do me no matter where they are or what they do. Even in these trying times where commitments to your work and family normally take up your entire time I am pleased to say that my bond with all my sisters is as tight as a vacuum coffee canister as we always find the time to share a joke every now and then regardless of me being in this small corner of Malaysia.


Everyday I cannot thank God enough for this wonderful gift he has given me : my family. It is grand to learn that all the things that we have done have all finally come together and is embodied in love, understanding and above all harmony. At the moment I still have my mum living with me that even while she is incapacitated still manages to cook me and Andy lunch everyday (this is for my sisters reading this: yesterday guys Mum cooked soto ayam with bergedil..how’s that to make u guys green with envy?).



Then my four wonderful sisters with whom I have shared a lot of good and terrible times . Somehow or rather we have all come out of it not only in one piece but unwavering and stronger in our love for one another. I also have a cherished 19 year old brother that is like all 19 year olds – more bothered about whether they look cool’er’ with an Ipod, Adidas and a Nokia or with an Ipod, Adidas and another Nokia ( I have lost count how many Nokias he has to date)...to go to INDAH PERMAI on a ‘bas berhenti-henti’ that you pay 50 sen per trip. All the same he is a great bro to have as I know that like my other sisters there is not one thing he will not do for me and vice versa.




Then there is my other half – Andy whom I love and cherish to bits and my two kids Arian and Aqeel ( Ayan and Gagi) . Well what can I say about them apart from the fact that they are my centre of the earth apart from my mum, sisters and brother.




I also thank God for having a wonderful mum and father in-law. Since I married Andy, they have been very supportive in everything we did and never tried to be difficult. I really appreciate all the things they have done for me as I know they love me as their own. Also a select few of his extended relatives, mine and last but definitely not least my close friends.


I suppose not everyone is as lucky as I am. And this is what I want to talk about.


I sometimes wonder what on earth goes in the minds of these so called 'family' that never care an ounce about their loved one's feelings but their own. I just spoke to a friend who had been pouring out her heart to me in disappointment regarding her family and it made me so sad for her. This friend of mine has grown up children. She and her husband, for as long as I have known them have done their utmost for their family ; i.e children and sisters that I always pray to God to grant me patience and strength like theirs. Now when they are older it is sad to know that not a lot of their feelings ,thoughts and consideration come into account when it comes to their children. And if that's not enough, this lovely friend of mine has sisters who are caustic and critical in response to every single thing she does its unbelievable.



Now I do not know if any of the family knows me, but for anyone of you out there; let me just say one thing: blood is thicker than water. No matter what do not let other people become priorities over your parents, be it friends, boyfriends,fiancee etc. You can have so many of the latter, but you just have ONE family. True, you may have so called 'jerks' in your family. I do too, and I appreciate that some of them can be SO annoying (narrow minds and empty promises are the ones I unfortunately have to contend with haha) but at the end of the day, the extent of love that you have for one another can only be realized and measured when it is tested in hardship and problems, not when you are comfortable .



For those of you who still have your mum,dad, sisters and brothers, appreciate them while you still can before its too late when they have gone.Show some token of appreciation in kind words, thoughts and especially consideration.There is so much room for love there is no time for animosity and self-centred thought.



I am so glad and thankful to God for having them all still with me and I hope they realize how much they are being appreciated.



Thanks GUYS - love you all to bits...