BIRTHDAYS AND GRANDCHILDREN

This morning, I received many more sms and emails from friends wishing me my 65 birthday. I thank them for their thoughts and greetings, and my reply to them was that I am now surviving on bonus time. Looking back, I never thought that I could reached this ripe age of 65, but when I look at my mother who turned 89 years a few months ago, I begin to have hopes of surviving a few more years at least.

My father who died in 1991 of a heart failure was 73 years. He was well known to the boys living around Kuala Lumpur throughout the period of the 50's and 60's, for he was an expert at circumcision. I remembered having to tolerate the teasing from people that I met, the moment they knew that I am the son of Pak Raji, especially those boys living in Kampung Baru. Even till today, for those of my age will still remember my late father who performed the circumcision on them.

If one was to read the book 'The Old Man Remembers' written by Tan Sr Dr. Majid Ismail, the country's first orthophedic surgeon, he did mentioned Pak Raji by name in his book. He attributed Pak Raji to having guided him during his period of 'housemanship'. I was elated to have been given a copy of the book by Tan Sri Dr. Majid Ismail himself, when I met him at Royal Selangor Club a few years ago.

Having reached 65 today is of lesser meaning to me, then having to be blessed with a fourth grandchild. I received an sms at noon on Friday 31 Oct from my son in Singapore stating that his wife had delivered a boy. They named him Ilyas Ghazi; Ilyas being the name of a prophet of Islam, and Ghazi meaning a 'warrior'.

An like all grandparents, my only wish is to see that my grandchildren grows up to be good Muslims, grateful to their parents and be useful citizens.


CRUSADE AGAINST CORRUPTION
Posted at 8.06pm on Nov 2,2008