Memories of Ramadhan

Lagi beberapa hari saja lagi nak start puasa. Ramadhan has always been a nostalgic month for me and I believe for a lot of people. The memories of tuang posa, memories of family gatherings and memories of fabricating stories so that I could berbuka posa with my boyfriend. Also, bila start posa aje, I would think of Shazleen, one of my closest friend during my high school year. I will talk about Leen later as now I want to talk about my family.

Since I got married and parked our butt permanently in Malaya, I could count the number of times I actually berbuka with my family. My parents, in a way, has a very westernised attitude with their married children, that is jangan masuk campur langsung - langsung. They do not want to impose on our life and being the cause of fights between anak and menantu.

Every start of Ramadhan, Mummy akan berpesan, "Hang toksah dok susah sangat nak buka posa kat sini. Jangan jadikan tempat nak berbuka tu satu pergaduhan, hilang pahala. Penat aje posa. Ikut saja mana dia nak pi. Kalau mau sangat buka kat sini, request baik - baik. Kalau dia mau, hampa mai. Kalau dia tak mau, toksah paksa. Lagi satu jangan niat nak buka ngan Mummy sebab kesian kat Mummy. Takdak kesian - kesian aih... Okay aje. Mummy bukak posa sorang pun tak pa. Yang pentingnya posa tu, bukan berbuka,"

As a result, I only berbuka with my mom once last year and so did my brother. I didn't even ask Dan if we could break bread with mom until the last day of puasa. I suppose what is important for my mom is a peaceful Ramadhan. Pengorbanan for the sake of peace is pahala.... He he... But mom, not this year as this year I want to alternate berbuka with you and Dan's mom. So expect us a lot this year and that means, every other day, please serve cok udang with kuah kacang, Penang style.