WHAT HAVEN'T WE GOT THEN ?

We are having a quiet dinner together the other day, Ainul and I, the night before Arman Jennrich, Farah, Aisya, Omar and Emir return from their Langkawi trip where they stay at Lanai Hotel hosted by "Chain" Tunku Omar Hussien. We experience extreme silence apart from the occasional TV noises from the flats down below, now that we are back to the two of us in the house. It is not that we have not gone through it all before after Arman and family leave us each year after their short visit and stay with us, but somehow we feel somewhat different this time. May be it is because ever since Ainul goes Dialysis three times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays - going away from home from mid afternoon till eight or nine at night each time - our daily , indeed our life routine or better still our lifestyle, has changed quite dramatically.

We no longer have the leisure of going to the movies at any day and time of the week when we feel like it and boast of seeing almost all the good or mediocre movies in town to all our friends and relatives. We are less active in that direction now and ever since Ainul's Dialysis we have missed quite a few movies that we would have wanted to see and not miss ! However that is what it should be I suppose with the changing circumstances and time in our life. Life after all, as I once write in this web site, is never permanent. Only Allah is permanent. Although the moon and the stars and the seemingly endless number of stars and planets and what have you in outer space seem permanent to our sight, they too undergo changes every now and then although perhaps not as often and dramatic as us humans out here on earth.

Our life is governed by so many factors and imponderables, more especially in this modern time of high technological advancements when we human have transcend to the stage of creating things to suit our needs and lifestyle of this epoch history of civilization. The thing that is clear to us all is we all cannot escape the impact of this new civilization.

Just take the simple thing as the hand phones, which we cannot do without anymore, when we feel somewhat naked when we forget to carry it with us and worst still when it is stolen and we lose all the data information that we have stored in it. I experience losing my data info's twice - once when it accidentally or carelessly drops in the toilet bowl and the other time when a burglar comes in at our upstairs room whilst we are all having dinner downstairs and took my phone away. Almost the next day I have to get a new phone. Ainul loses hers at least three times plus having to replace two phones that no longer work and silly to repair , as Farahat says to her, since the cost of repair is as good as buying a new one. Recently when she tells Farahat her phone is not working despite having it examined by a phone supplier who says it can be repaired if so required, Farahat simply gets her a new one ! To me, these are equate to toys these days. Unlike the English toys of those days which lasts a life time, nowadays, toys last only a day or two at the most and for some only a few hours with the kids of today. The worst part of it is, they all get bored with these things very fast indeed !

Anyway, coming back to that quiet evening dinner that Ainul have recently, both of us cannot help but reminisce on the good old days when what foods are served on the table would mostly come home grown. Yes, I recall my childhood with my grand parents in Sri Menanti. We have almost everything that we need then in our house compounds or in the vicinity of it. In those days everyone is very neighborly and willing to share things willingly. But of course people are more civil those days. What they would wish to have from our gardens of vegetables or fruits for that matter, they would readily ask us for it just as we reciprocate doing the same for ourselves to them. This is all acceptable then and this exchange of what I have to what you don't have and vice versa is the practice of the good neighborhood of those days - something that is very clearly lacking these days, when we do not even know our immediate neighbors or their names for that matter for the years that we live around the place. And the worst part is, we are ever ready to find faults with each other. No wonder the nations of the world are still at wars with each other today despite being in the 20th Century when we should be more civilized.

That brings to mind, just what is meant by civilization. Every Nation of the past claim it is civilized just as every old boy claims his time is the best as compared to the present boys of the same school. So what is it really ? I think it is all subjective. To me, I don't think we human have changed. The animal instinct in us always take over our good nature. We simply love to subordinate others and it is this very thing that is the main cause of disharmony and the ceaseless wars between creeds and nations of today - an ordinary happenings of the world in whichever century it is in. Just sit and watch a couple of children at play. Everything goes on well at first until some smart one tries to grab somebody else's toy or playing thing away to make it his own. Quarrels will ensue from then on. Its no different with the adults and Nations of the world.

Yesterday we are shocked by the bombs that destroyed and killed several people at the Ritz and Marriott Hotels in Jakarta. Just what is going on there? What is the motive of the bombers ? Just who are there trying to kill ? Indonesia is a Muslim dominated - at least by majority count - and exploding bombs such as the happening can only inflict death and injuries to our own fellow Muslims, surely ! But then, there you are. We are still uncivilized ! In these days when people like to be in the tabloid, this might one of the ways they seek to do it.

Both of really miss the good movies of those days when the story lines are good, acting not too melodramatic like most Malay movies of today. Just watch those P.Ramlee movies. They act natural and the story lines depict the period and beliefs of the time. They need not go hi tech like today's movies to make the movies more picturesque and interesting. The other day just like we did another time when Yat gives us a movie treat, we are at the latest Transformers movie. Whilst others are attentive to it, both Ainul and I take our usual turns to be up and asleep between scenes. A friend once remarks, "you two seems to habitual in expensive sleeping ! "

Wish I can write more. Time constrain. Yat requires an article urgently today to fill up this week's gap in the site. May be longer one next time ! Cheers !