Monday, July 15, 2013

It's that time of the year again

I was sitting down at Starbucks for my daily caffeine fix , this time without my earphones on when the unmistakable sound of a 'Raya' song was playing on the mall's speakers.

Yes. It is that time of the year again.

It is a time where people go crazy with 'insightful, religious thoughts because it is Ramadhan', tweeting / Facebooking their break of fast dishes, announcing to people that they are about to / just came back from 'Tarawih' and Raya cookies agents start to promote their 'unique Raya cookies' to the masses. 

I don't fast too, although I do have a degree of respect for those who fast.

I am not really an Eid/Raya person. I think it is the same with how my friends abroad feel about Christmas/Thanksgiving.

I just don't... mark it on the calendar.

The novelty of celebrating Raya now is reduced to just being a chance for me to catch up with my cousins and family. Other than that, Raya is the most dreaded holiday of the year.

Last year, I didn't even bother to buy a new 'Baju Kurung' for Raya. My sister offered to buy me one, which I have only worn... once.

I suck at emotional Raya mornings where I would have to ask for forgiveness from my parents. I am not an emotional person. I am cold, and I have no real concern or feelings on anything or anyone.

I am wasted. In terms of emotions, I am detached.

Oh. I do like the food. I can't have enough of the ketupats and lemangs and stuff. One thing that I appreciated my mum of doing last year was to prepare the vegetarian kuah lodeh for me, which I loved. My allergies were still undetermined at that time, and so I avoided every meat dishes like a plague.

Now that I know the real culprit was chicken, I know which dishes to stuff my face with, and which to stay away from.

As the daughter, I am also responsible for buying new stuff for my family. It gives me joy, this part of Raya. I love giving people stuff that makes them happy. It is just a thing that is quite consistent with my character.

All the other things, like that usual argument on Raya night, my toiling to clean the what seemed like a house that waits to be cleaned only on Raya and ONLY by me, the waking up in the wee hours of the morning to cook the Raya dishes with my Mum while the men folk are still sleeping, it is all very tiring.

But, it's that thing in life that you will have to go through. It is family is it not? If you can't stop em', join 'em!

With love, Namaste,

Ayu

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