This is a quickie-post for today.... while this is being typed, I bet most people in Malaysia are stuffing their faces celebrating the end of the fasting month! And I also bet many of you are expecting me to be all homesick, what with being away from home and all.... well... the "raya mood" has yet to ever strike me... never has and probably never will. Don't cry for me argentina...
Many thanx to all of those who sms'ed me raya greetings over the past few days - they were greatly appreciated, it is nice to know I am thought of even when halfway across the world from most of you! ... btw I sent out greetings to almost everyone in my phone's address book - so if you did not receive an sms from me, that means I dont have you on my phone - so sms me NOW!! ;-)
And whether or not you were a recepient of my SMS : that does NOT prevent me from wishing all my readers (heeeheheheh i wonder just how many readers i *do* have!!) a safe "DeepaRaya".... yes, my dears, let's not forget the multi-racial and multi-religious country of ours! Happy Deepavali to those who celebrate that occasion, and also a Selamat Aidil Fitri to, again, those who celebrate that occasion: Maaf zahir & batin.
While we're on the subject.. Let us take some time to step back from the hectic day, and reflect on what Aidil Fitri means to you...
... Do you truly look forward to the visits to / by your relatives as strengthening silaturrahim, or it is to collect money on behalf of your kid who fasted thru the month without really knowing why?
... Or to compare and attempt to outshine the other ladies with your new Raya Baju Kebaya?
... Hey, do you even look forward to the entire clan get-together, or is the "duty" of balik kampung something that you do so grudgingly, such that you've infected your children with a keen distaste for this event and for the family?
... Or is Raya all about celebrating the start of being able to eat/drink/smoke normally again???
Please do take a minute or two to ponder upon your answers... Is Aidil Fitri truly "meaningful" to you?
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about two months later...
... hi again. This return to blogging is really not working out, is it? Actually, I am writing, three pages of mind vomit and affirmations ...
Somehow aidilfitri was more memorable when I was little.
ReplyDeleteBut yes, it is still. Raya to me means being able to be with the whole family. Although it might be tiring driving to three different kampungs this year, it was all worth it! The feeling the tranquility waking up on Raya morning performing your prayers, and seeing familiar faces during sembahyang raya. The touching and sad feeling when we sit down and ask for forgiveness from our loved ones.
I know, we can do all these every other day, but somehow raya has another feeling to it.
I think the spirit of Aidil Fitri has somewhat went slightly off when most Malaysians associate it with balik kampung, duit raya & the food. Instead we should all be educated or we should educate the young ones the true reason of how Aidil Fitri came about which was to celebrate the victory of a war.
ReplyDeleteI still have people coming to me and wish me happy new year when Aidil Fitri has nothing to do with a new year. It should be celebrated more spiritually, i.e. forgiving others, remembering people you haven't met in ages, giving away money to the needy, and of course enjoying the making of the good food.
It really shouldn't matter where you are but do celebrate the meaning and enjoy the spirit.