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I hope it's not too late to wish everyone a Selamat Hari Raya! Raya celebrations are throughout the whole month anyway..hehe.
Hope everyone had a great, fun, joyous and mouth stuffing raya! I celebrated mine with in-laws here in KL and I must say this year, KL turned into a cowboy town due to the long weekend hols. But good thing Lan's family and relatives were all based here in KL so celebrations went on as usual and it felt like every bit like raya.
Mum and dad left for Johor last Thursday and only returned on Sunday. So I celebrated with them on Monday. By the time they got back to KL, they were pretty tired from all the raya-ing back in JB, my mum's hometown. So for them, it was quite a relief to come home to KL.
This year raya felt a bit different though. You see, me and my husband - we're raya grinches. In fact, Lan has turned into a raya scrooge as well..haha. Those who know me, are accustomed to my feelings and thoughts about raya. To me, I love it because it's another holiday and it's a celebration to mark the end of a whole month of fasting, but at the same time it gets quite tiring sitting around the house the whole day entertaining relatives or going from house to house meeting relatives. And seeing that holidays are quite precious for me, sad to say, it's a part that I kind of loathe. I know, I know, I shouldn't feel this way. I can't help it :(
But like I said, this year felt a teeny bit different. On raya eve night, I actually had this sudden urge to play bunga api. For some reason I reminisced about the good old days when we were young and all cousins would gather around and play 'bunga api' and all sorts of illegal mercun or small fireworks on raya eve..hehe. Then I realised kids nowadays in the city hardly do that anymore. My little niece who I think would enjoy it, has probably never experienced it before. They just stayed in, watch TV and went to bed - on raya eve! So boring.
So yeah, that's when I thought maybe I've started to soften up a bit to the thought of really celebrating raya, maybe because it's so different from the old days or maybe because I've outgrown the novelty and maybeeee also because I don't have kids of my own yet. But I truly did feel the raya spirit (just a tad bit!) and did not moan and groan too much compared to last year. haha. Anyway, I know it's a bit too soon, but here's to hoping I won't turn into a raya grinch again next year! Hehe Selamat Hari Raya!
Here's to a month long of lontong, rendang, ketupat, laksa and lemang! I owe the girls at RedRibbon Days a taste of raya food. Haha. Sorry girls, since last Friday, food ration has run out. Gotta wait for the next batch this weekend. :)
I have to admit, I haven't done enough (on a personal account) giving back to the community, especially to the less fortunate. The most I've done is donating old clothes and helping my mum clear out unused items from the house which is still in good condition to donate. I also remember the times when my parents held 'kenduris' every now and then and we would invite orphans from a nearby orphanage to bless our occasion by performing a nasyid and reciting verses from the Quran. We would then treat them to Nasi Beriyani or Nasi Minyak and each will receive a small token for taking the time to bless our do. They all looked happy and it was a nice feeling sharing our house, food and celebration with them.
Then as we grew up, I guess I was too fixated with earning money, daily routines and work that I tend to forget about those in need. The most I would do is donate during Hari Raya. In fact there was a time when I wanted to set up a charity for myself - The Nik Hida Fund; to raise money for me to buy a new pair of heels so that I can look taller. Haha ok obviously that was a joke
So one day, we were thinking, after 2 years of prodiving memorable experiences to our customers; how about those who are less fortunate and those who don't have loved ones and families to give them an experience? We truly believe that experiences are to inspire and to fulfill lives. If given the opportunity to children, wouldn't it inspire and motivate them to live life to the fullest ? Or how about the older generation at the old folks home? If we help them realise their dreams, wouldn't it make their lives much more worth living for and that to not give up on life?
So when RedRibbon Days came up with an initiative of giving an experience to the less fortunate with the objective of fulfilling their dreams and giving them the opportunity to experience something they've never done before; we instantly thought what a great idea this would be and the impact it would make on their lives if every single corporate company gives support to this program. Imagine giving the chance for an orphan to fly a plane when his ambition is to become a pilot. Wouldn't this effort inspire him/her to study hard to achieve that dream? Or even if they don't want to become a pilot, giving them the opportunity to fly in the sky for the first time is an unforgettable experience that they will never forget, and it gives them something positive to reflect on for the rest of their life; seeing that they have been surrounded by hardships their whole life.
What we want to achieve is to create awareness and communicate to corporate companies that in addition to donating money and daily supplies, they can also make a difference to each individual lives of the less fortunate by giving them a chance to realise their dreams or to allow them to experience something they've never done before. It will truly touch their lives in a different perspective and they will remember you for the rest of their lives for giving them the chance. Experiences are created to inspire and to make life much more meaningful and colourful. This is important for the kids as they have been surrounded by negativity and hardships their whole lives. Exposing them to new surroundings and experiences will make a difference to their personality and wellbeing.
On 4 September 2010 we took 4 orphans on a KL City Sky Tour. None of them have ever flew in a plane before so you can imagine how ecstatic they were. The joyful and excited looks on their faces melted our hearts, especially after knowing the hardships they've been through. Seeing the look on their faces made me realise how lucky I am and how these kids need the help and support to make life much more meaningful. So from now, I vouch to do more giving back to the community personally and to work hard to get the support of other corporates out there. So here's to many more new experiences for many more children!
The girls from Rumah Amal Cahaya Tengku Ampuan Rahimah
The kids from Sunbeams Home
