Ramadan
This year I spent my month-long fasting in Ramadan without my wife and son in Dubai. The feeling was definitely different compare to Ramadan 2009 when they were here.
However I am happy to sum up that this year's Ramadan I managed to attend many congregational Tarawih prayers and read a few chapters of Al Quran. I will also remember this year's Ramadan for the good times I spent with my buddy Jumper and our new friend Radwan from France. Radwan is now back in Marseille and I hope to see him again To avoid loneliness, I also joined Iftar majlis held by Malaysian Association every Friday where I got to eat delicious home-cooked food, Malaysian styles !
Jumper and Radwan prepared these French style Iftar
AL Qasba scene after my my lonely Iftar. The tall building at the horizon is my crib.
The one thing I could not manage to do is to have Iftar together with other Muslims at mosques which is a popular practice in the UAE. I always want to do this, not because of the free food but for the humble feeling of togetherness and sharing with peoples from all walks of life. I think such feeling can remind me of the purpose and simplicity of life.
Eid
I took 2 weeks vacation to spend Ramadan and Eid with families in Malaysia. The first week my wife, son and I flew to Oya, Sarawak. I am grateful to find out that my niece is recovering fast from her brain surgery and has grown up to be a lovely girl. This year I also received a new nephew in Sarawak. I enjoyed observing how my son Adrin learned to interact with his many cousins, uncles and aunts. I hope he gained a good experience from it.
I took 2 weeks vacation to spend Ramadan and Eid with families in Malaysia. The first week my wife, son and I flew to Oya, Sarawak. I am grateful to find out that my niece is recovering fast from her brain surgery and has grown up to be a lovely girl. This year I also received a new nephew in Sarawak. I enjoyed observing how my son Adrin learned to interact with his many cousins, uncles and aunts. I hope he gained a good experience from it.
Eid will not start in Malaysia without this guy's cameo
A reunion
At home in KL, I am vary satisfied with the decorations and new curtains bought by my wife. I am lucky that my wife shares the same design philosophy when it comes to our home interior design. We like to live in a resort and that is the feeling I enjoyed everytime I reached my KL home. We have a lot of decorating ideas to be done to the apartment, slowly one by one. Apart from meeting my parents and relatives, I could not do many of the things in my coming home list. It was 2 weeks full of quality activities.
I got back to Dubai yesterday and started my first day at work. The busy time in the office provide a bit of help in diverting my mind from post holiday depression, which is good.
My mind now is focusing on the next happy occasion in November where my wife and son will come visit me in Dubai. Besides that I am also saving up some dirhams to buy an object of my dream.
I have a dream...
To want to be what one can be is purpose in life
Cynthia Ozick
Novelist
Cynthia Ozick
Novelist
