Exodus home

The yearly exodus of sons, daughters, son-in-laws, daughter-in-laws and their families towards their home villages, to meet and ask for forgiveness from their parents, is here again.

Despite of the escalating prices or petrol and other things, their spirits of going home has never subsided, at least as long as their parents or one of them is still living.

In their overzealousness of reaching their destination and the tiredness of Ramadhan and the fatigue of long drive on congested roads, many do not make it...some are involved in road accidents and not a few even lost their lives.

For us, this will be our second year where we all stay put while waiting for the Eid. There is no more the need to ask for extra-long leave just to travel home. We now live in our own house in the midst of relatives and friends.

The two of us are anxiously waiting for our sons and daughter to come home. Our eldest daughter is already with us since yesterday. Syazwan will take a bus home tonight and he is expected to arrive in Chukai at sahur time tomorrow morning.

Amirul, the only son of my wife's sister is impatiently waiting for Syazwan to come home.

Syafiq cannot make it. He is not allowed leave during the first three days of Eid. He will come home only on the fourth raya!

As usual, our Teratak Syakirin will be the meeting point of family members. The giggles of children will bring live to the quietness of Ramadhan.

As I am finishing a round of Quran reciting after iftar today, I wonder whether I will have time to do it again many many years ahead.