InnaLillahi wa Inna Ilaihi Rajiun

Dear Sisters:

First, yesterday's front pages were all about Obama watching Osama being killed. Murdered would have been more appropriate I think, because the news said that he was unarmed ... Of course no video, no body. Throwing his body in the water indeed ... Kadirjasin.blogspot.com has some thoughts about this. Do visit him. It's in Bahasa Melayu though. I had my own thought .... pseudonym of course... InnaLillahi wa Inna Ilaihi Rajiun ... do you think this will make any difference to those who understand ...

Then, in the taxi to the business place (still using the taxi despite what has happened), I heard on the news that three young sisters had drowned at a familiar waterfall resort. Two bodies have been recovered so far ...

The small resort is on the way to our parents home. The news said that a father, his three daughters, and a female friend of the father were swept away by a sudden rush of water from upstream. The adults were saved by other people in the vicinity, but the children vanished downstream ...

I thought that's the end of the news ...


I reached the shop. Immediately, my shop assistant said that three girls, daughters of so and so had died of drowning in U.B. (the name of the resort). Shocked I said AstaghfiruLLAH, InnaLillahi wa Inna Ilaihi Rajiun and asked what had happened? The details were part of the front page news today ...

The father worked in a shop less than 10 meters away from ours. The children, like many children of staff and business owners in this area, had this entire complex as their playground. Their life and  their parents life are sometimes played out in this very public area. So they are very familiar faces. A very, very sad ending to some unfortunate life events ...

Allah SWT loves them more ...


* The girls were 5, 4 and 2 years old. The eldest sister is still missing ... Mother has one more son with him ... May Allah SWT keep her warm with infinite sabr ...
* As the river seeks the sea, so my soul seeks thee ... will the soul of the girls meet that of Osama's in the sea? Allahuaklam ...

Love and salam ...

Sisters

Yes ... Not the ones that you are born with... But the ones that you acquired along the life's complicated and winding journey. Recently I noticed that these beloved sisters of mine (a British, a Singaporean and a Sarawak-Bruneian)  have R as their initials. And my mum and dad tooo...! Of course mother was never known by her birth name. She has her special name ... S. My other beloved sister in Dimondale* has S for an initial too.

My British Sister R I met in Walsal. But the beginning was in Brunei where both Singapore Sister R and I were working with the Government Educational concerns.

I wanted very much to get that Masters. What to do? I talked about it with Singapore Sister R who completed her Masters in IT in the UK using her own fund. How did you do it? How much do you need? So many questions ... and her answers and guidance gave me the courage to send in the notice for resignation. Ten years on the job and I had enough to tide me over the 1 year program and extra for the family, alhamduLILLAH.


She said you'll need about 10,000 sterling pounds for tuition and another 5,000 for food and lodging. She was good at managing her budget, she said that was more than enough. Me ...? Many things happened in the process and of course the budget got extended ... despite enrolling in a less expensive university environment.



That was slightly over ten years ago. 1997 to be precise. It will be much much more now I am sure. But the point is ... you can do it if you plan for it.

1997 was a bad year for Malaysia and the whole world ... time was tough for everyone who are not employed that is. I didn't realise it then ... never was good at national and economic affairs ...being overseas did that to you ...

At the airport as I was saying goodbyes to the family ... the airport officer who was watching and listening to us said with a smile... How is it in this bad times you are taking our money out of the country ...

Honestly I did not comprehend the seriousness of the situation until in the University when a Prof S... came to me at the Computer Room with a concerned look on his face. M.... he said. Are you okay? A lot of Malaysian students are going back. They can't afford to stay. If you have any problem whatsoever and need help please tell me, he said. Grateful for his concern, I assured him that I was prepared for this, financially AlhamduLILLAH... despite our currency sliding terribly against the British pound.

Overdue nevertheless, Dearest Sister, thank you for giving me the courage to pursue and realize my dream ...and another dream coming on ... hmm ... that PhD ... insyaALLAH. Definitely I believe that dreams are made in our minds and supported by great sisters, many things can happen InsyaALLAH ...

Love and salam ...:-)

*Dimondale of East Lansing, Michigan.