Dynamites@HKSBP 2007: Liputan hari ke 3

Ahhh... the Dynamites never failed to amaze us. Here's the score for today's BIG win.



Hip! Hip! Hurray!

Dynamites@HKSBP 2007: Liputan hari pertama & ke 2

This posting is supposed to really make your Monday!

Received an SMS from SK Hanazita on Sunday morning. She wrote:

STF VS SSP
52 - 34




Wooohoooo!
Now, that's news! That's the opening match. Let's pray harder and patiently wait for more news.

Here's what was written in HKSBP Bulletin on Monday:



** Remind me to ask Hana whether Anis Saleha is a Dynamite basketballer or Kak Anis Saleha herself (who sponsored the jersey).



*** Okay, the picture I received just confirmed that Number 11 was 'penjaring terbanyak' and her jersey was sponsored by Kak Anis Saleha. According to Hana, the reporter published the news without verifying the facts with STF. Owh, that was hilarious, okay. Kak Anis must have been really proud to have her name published in HKSBP bulletin after 20 years graduating from STF. Moral of the story is: Don't forget to sponsor Dynamites' Jerseys in the future, you have no idea what's in store for you. :)

Updated at 10.55 a.m:

From SK Suraya Nafry's (ex-capt 9) email:

Laporan terkini from our camp, SSP probably jest "testing the water" because they sent their 2nd players for this match. So what? We actually sent our 2nd team too! huhuhu......so looks like both teams are saving their best players for last..

Updated at 11.27 a.m:

... and we just beat another opponent!!



Updated at 4.09 p.m:

... and another victory for the day! Woohooooooo!!!! You girls did great!

Hati berbunga dimalam RU

Tepat jam 3.30 petang , keluar sahaja dari kereta di hadapan Subang Jaya Holiday Villa, sambil membetulkan baju kemeja putih yang ku beli khas untuk hari ini ( dress code untuk perjumpaan hari ini ialah baju putih dan seluar/kain gelap), pandangan ku tertumpu pada sekelompok wanita hampir separuh usia yang berkumpul di lobby hotel.
Langkahku terhenti.
“ Masih kenalkah mereka padaku?”
“Macammanakah agaknya penerimaan mereka padaku?”
Ahhh….peduli apa!
Aku memberanikan diri dan meneruskan langkahku. Nasib baiklah tadi anak bongsuku berkeras memaksa aku memakai sandal hitam yang selesa ni, jika memakai kasut bertumit tinggi mesti goyah langkahku. Begitulah nervousnya aku! Masyaallah…nervous macam nak gi interview lagaknye aku ni..

Tersembul aje aku di pintu lobby, mereka yang sedang rancak berbual terdiam. Lebih 15 pasang mata tertumpu padaku.
Aku cuba mengukir senyum..( atau adakah aku menyeringai?)

“Duyong! Duyong!” seseorang berteriak.
“ Yalah! Duyonglah. Duyong. Duyong” serentak suara-suara makcik-makcik itu menjerit-jerit memanggil nama gelaran ku sewaktu di STF dulu. Mereka semua menerpa ke arahku. Tanpa kusedari aku juga terkinja-kinja meluru ke arah mereka. Hilang nervous ku. Hilang senyum ku. Mesti aku menyeringai seperti kerang busuk waktu itu!

Hingar bingar suasana di Lobby hotel. Tetamu-tetamu hotel yang lain terpinga-pinga melihat kami. Pekerja hotel di meja pendaftaran hanya mampu tersenyum, kelat-kelat manis. Apalah agaknya yang bermain di fikiran mereka..hmmm

Kamilah pelajar-pelajar yang menamatkan Tingkatan Tiga kami pada tahun 1975 di Sekolah Tun Fatimah, Johor Bahru. Inilah reunion kami yang pertama sejak 30 tahun.
Kali terakhir kami bertemu dan berpisah di bumi Johor pada tahun 1975 dulu, ketika itu kami hanyalah anak-anak manis berusia 15 tahun.
Atas idea gempak Tengku Puan Pahang, Tunku Hajjah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah dan hasil titik peluh dan usaha gigih yang tidak mengenal penat AJK2 yang terdiri dari Kak Cik, Kak Saba, Kak Kimah, Kak Asmah, Kak Radzie, Kak Cimid, Kak Midah O, Cik Limah, Noraini Mohadan, Suraidah Sulaiman dan Kak Raja Farizan, perjumpaan ini menjadi kenyataan pada hari ini 27 dan esok, 28 April 2007 di bumi Selangor.
Secara rasminya, satu pengumuman untuk Re Union ini ku lihat terpampang di lama yahoogroups stfoga dan stfbatch77 pada bulan March 2007 yang ditulis oleh Kak Saba. Zuraidah Sainan serta merta membalas dan menyatakan keinginannya untuk turut serta. Terkejut aku melihat nama itu. Zuraidah ialah kawan baikku semasa mula-mula bumi bertuah Tun Fatimah ke jejaki pada Januari 1973 ketika aku baru berusia 13 tahun. Zuraidah lah insan pertama yang bergelar teman yang berbual dengan ku di asrama itu. Zurai juga teman yang sama-sama menemaniku menangis bila terasa homesick yang teramat berat dijiwa ku pada waktu itu. Almaklumlah aku yang hanya seorang anak kampong yang bebas bergerak ke mana-mana serata ceruk rantau kampong, bermain masak-masak, bermain mak-mak dengan kawan-kawan , merasa amat payah untuk menyesuaikan diri dengan rutin harian asrama yang dirasakan begitu mengongkong di STF. Kehidupan yang dikawal tiap masa oleh deringan loceng, pada usia muda itu ku rasa amat
menyeksakan. Paling berat ialah rasa rindu yang teramat pada famili. Lagipun aku tidak pernah berpisah dari mereka sebelum itu walau untuk semalam.

‘ Duyong, aku Zurai. RU nanti kita pergi ya? Aku bagi nama engkau kat Kak Saba tau! ‘ Suara Zurai menerpa dari talipon yang ku pegang disuatu hari , diawal April.
Setelah 30 tahun, bila suara Zurai ku dengar semula, terasa mesra, penuh keyakinan dan… tua!. Ahhhh ..itu suara Zurai! Kawan baikku dulu!

Agaknya, ketika mendengar suaraku, Zurai juga berfikir dan perasan yang suaraku juga seperti suara seorang tua! Ha ha ha…ye lah…..kami sebaya dan masing-masing dah 47 tahun. Ya Allah..how time flies….

Semasa ditingkatan 3 kami terbahagi kepada enam kelas. Setiap kelas mempunyai 30 orang pelajar. Dan kumpulan bekas pelajar ini mempunyai yahoogroup sendiri bernama stfbatch77@yahoogroups.com. Diawal March aku menyedari dan mula menulis ke laman web ini. Aku berkenalan semula dengan Kak Fariz, Siti Maimuda, Hairuszah, Kak Haini, Kak Cik, Kak Saba dan lain-lain yang sering menulis di situ. Dari situ juga aku mengetahui bahawa kawan-kawan ku itu ada yang menjadi doctor, pensyarah, professor madya, juruhebah RTM, cikgu dan berbagai-bagai lagi jawatan di berbagai jabatan kerajaan dan swasta. Dari hari kesehari semakin dekat Re Union semakin gementar rasanye untuk bertemu kengkawan.

Dan aku malu.

Malu kerana setelah 30 tahun tidak bertemu, aku telah membesar berkali ganda dan menambah berlapis-lapis dagu……hatta melampaui kuih lapis yang sering ku masak. Jawatan ku juga tidaklah setinggi mereka yang lain..hanya pagar dawai sahaja. Tertanya-tanya di benakku, bagaimanakah penerimaan mereka terhadapku, terutamanya teman rapat dan mesra yang dulunya ku panggil Dot tapi kini bergelar Datin Halidah! Bergulunglah lidahku memanggilnye datin je sepanjang hari….

‘ Engkau mesti tak ingat aku!’ seseorang menggenggam erat jari-jari montokku. Dia tersengih di depanku. Tanganku digoncang-goncang mesra sambil dia tertawa. Aku renung wajah itu.

Ya..aku kenal dia!
‘ Jemilah Abu Bakar!’ aku sendiri terjerit kegembiraan. Suara akukah yang menjerit itu? Masyaallah…tapi..aku ingat dia. Aku ingat sangat ngan dia.

Raaap! Aku dipelok erat. Pipiku yang terlebih serbuk penaik bak kata kak Fariz disanggingi oleh pipi Jamilah yang masih seperti dulu saiznya. Pipi kanan. Pipi kiri. Pipi kanan semula. Berapa tahun kita bersama Ella? 5 tahun? 7 tahun? Dulu masa sekolah aku tak pernah pun sentuh pipi engkau, tapi hari ini tiap pipi kawan-kawan yang lain pun turut menyentuhi pipi ku. Sebak dada teman weh.…

Betapa aku merindui kalian..!

‘Tak berapa muat tangan aku nak memeluk engkau Yong.’ Kata Roy (Datin Rohaiza).

Sume mengatakan gitu padaku tiap tubuh kami berpautan. Anehnya..,saat itu aku lansung tidak sedikit pun merasa malu atau terasa hati dengan gurauan mereka semua. Malahan tiap patah kata mereka seperti muzik ditelingaku. Aku pelok setiap seorang dari seratus lebih teman-teman ku pada hari itu tanpa rasa segan atau pun silu. Cuma Tengku Puan yang aku segan nak pelok. He he he.. Ampun, Tengku Puan…Saya segan. Lain kali I peluk you jugak…jika u izinkan.. It is not that I love you less or I remember you less, tapi I segan je…

‘Angun..! Angun..! ‘ jerit anak bongsu kesayangan Datin Dot ketika ku temui mereka di gelanggang bowling di Pins and Balls, level 2 hotel tersebut jam 5.30 petang. Kami beramai-ramai makan petang di situ. Yang masih aktif dan segar bugar berebut-rebut bermain bowling. Ku lihat Ranti Sakiman menghayun bola seperti menghayun buah pulasan aje layaknye. Kuatnye engkau Ranti ! Yang tidak berapa aktif seperti ku melayan kawan-kawan berbual, menyambut mereka yang baru sampai dan sambil itu sempat juga melayan selera di Hi-Tea yang dihidangkan di situ.

Anak comel si Dot yang berusia 4 tahun tadi menjerit-jerit tidak membenarkan aku duduk di sisi emaknya. Ha ha ha… ‘Inilah penghibur hati kami suami isteri. This miracle baby came late in life’, kata Dot. Gemercik suara anak itu memenuhi ruang Pins and Balls menagih perhatian emaknya yang sekejap dipelok orang ni dan sekejap dipelok orang tu. ‘Husband I demam, ada di bilik kat atas’, Dot berkata sedikit apologetic. Ya..itulah kehidupan. The other half will always remain a half!

Di Pins and Balls aku memelok pula Kak Haini, Ranti, Kak Pah,Tengku Norsida dan yang lain-lain yang tidak mungkin dapat kusebutkan nama mereka satu persatu di sini. Sambil memelok Tengku Norsida ku raba rambut dalam tudungnya. Dulu rambutnya panjang sampai ke ponggong. Sesiapa yang berada di STF pada tahun 73 hingga 79 pasti mengenalinya for that trademark.

‘Engkau masih berambut panjang lagi ke Shida?’. Seseorang menanyanya.
‘ Aku dah raba dah. Dah tak ada dah rambutnya’. Aku menyampok. Tg Norsida tersenyum manis. Dia masih lemah lembut seperti dulu.
‘Laki aku suruh potong ‘ katanya tersenyum. Aku membayangkan her other half got tangled in her long hair..ha ha ha.

Malam itu mulai jam 8.30 kami makan malam di Classic Ballroom, level 3. Kak Radzie memaparkan gambar-gambar lama kami sebagai montage. Suasana ballroom di Holiday Villa itu akhirnya berubah wajah menjadi seperti dewan STF lagaknya. Gambarku sewaktu di remove class bergaun pendek di porch bersama Zurai juga dipaparkan. Aku sendiri tiada menyimpan gambar itu! Camana boleh Hairuszah pulak yang ada simpan gambar tu? Mengekek-ngekek teman-teman ku ketawa . Duyong..Duyong…Namaku diseru. Ahhh…bahagianya aku!

Nasi Beriani, daging kambing, ayam panggang dan segala-galanya ku jamah pada malam itu. Semuanya sedap! Tentunya lebih sedap dari makanan yang dihidangkan di dewan makan STF tapi mana boleh tanding kegembiraan ku makan nasi minyak yang dihidangkan pada tiap malam Jumaat di sana . Pastinya lebih sedap lagi bila semuanya memakai baju kurung hijau kan?

‘ Kita pernah gaduh dulu kan Yong?’ Terperanjat aku bila tiba-tiba Kak Shahidah Ibrahim bersuara ketika membalas pelokanku. Aku cium pipinya. Rindunya aku pada mu kak. Kakak ini ialah Class Monitor ku sewaktu kami ditingkatan Enam tahun 79. Dan aku assistantnya. Aku renong wajahnya. Jarinya tidak ku lepaskan. Aku keliru.

‘Iye ke kak? Bila? Saya tak ingat pun. Kenapa kita gaduh kak?’ Aku menanya bertubi-tubi.
Cikgu Shidah hanya tersenyum.

Raap! Aku diterpa dan dipelok lagi.
“Engkau Duyong!. Ingat aku tak?’ Tuan punya tangan yang menarikku menanya. Aku terkedu. Siapa yek? Terkulat-kulat lagi.
‘Orang kampong lah! Saya pernah datang rumah kamu dulu. Kamu udah lupakan saya ke ? Rumah kita dekat-dekat.”

Huh.!!?

“ Alaaa..saya NorJariahlah..”

Raap.!
Norjariah ku pelok erat. Akhir sekali aku berjumpanya 32 tahun yang lalu semasa kami di tingkatan Tiga. Sesungguhnya aku rindu…

Zap. Zap. Zap.
Kami bergambar. Aku yang kebelakangan ini selalu menolak untuk bergambar bersama anak-anak dan saudara mara, tidak menolak untuk bergambar bersama-sama teman. Aku pulak yang terkinja-kinja mencelah jika nampak teman-teman bergambar. Aku tidak akan melepaskan peluang bergambar dengan kalian semua pada hari ini. Walau mukaku akan memenuhi separuh dari skrin kamera kalian …Lantaklah !

Zap. Zap. Zap.
‘Sungguh kami tak sangka berupaya mengumpulkan seramai ini teman-teman kita. Target kami pada mulanya hanyalah seramai 50 orang sahaja. Tapi hari ini hampir 120 orang yang sudi datang. Jumlah ini sangat memberansangkan. Kami berterima kasih pada anda semua yang sudi datang’ kata Kak Cik dalam ucapannya.

‘Hebat betol dia orang ni. Camana ye mereka dapat cari kita semua?’ kata Kak Haini keheranan dan kagum. Kami terkesima.

Itulah the power of will. Itulah the power of women. Kalau hati kita nak, semua boleh jadi dengan izinNya. Antara ramai tu, Kak Aida datang dari Amerika, Siti Maimuda dari Brunei, Kak Fariz dari Kulim, Su dari Batu Pahat, kak Yang Cik dari Segamat, Kak Pah dan Tg Norsida dari Kelantan. Dan seorang dari laut dalam. He he he…akulah tu! Duyong katakan. Dan entah dari mana lagi. Dari lembah Kelang yang paling ramai. Ada antara kami yang tinggal berdekatan namun mungkin tidak mengenali satu sama lain atau pun tidak terjumpa kerana kesibukan masing-masing menguruskan kehidupan berkeluarga dan berkerjaya.

Jam 1.30 pagi, setelah berkali-kali berkata akan menyanyikan lagunya yang terakhir, Tg Puan akhirnya berhenti menyanyi. Bravo Tg Puan. Rasanya Zizi menyanyi dari jam 10 malam tu sampai jam 1.30 pagi. Siti Nurhaliza patut tabik. Kami bertuah..,dihiburkan dengan suaranya yang serak-serak basah oleh seorang teman yang juga puteri seorang sultan.

Saya bangga.

Selepas itu masing-masing ada yang balik ke bilik dan ada yang balik kerumah,..seperti ku. Suami beserta anak bongsu menjemputku dalam renyai-renyai pagi itu…Penatnye..my age must be catching up to me…Esok paginya ada juga teman-teman yang menyambong cerita sesame mereka semasa acara Taichi dan Brunch. Aku tidak turut serta kerana melayan famili adik yang singgah sebelom balik ke kampungku di Perak.

Namun tidak akan ku lupa wajah-wajah mu teman. Suara kalian masih tergiang-giang ditelinga. Terubat rasa rindu ini buat seketika. Jiwa ni aduuhhh, berbunga-bunga!
Malam itu kami bersorak gembira bila bertemu dan berpelukan. Kami bersorak gembira bila melihat teman-teman terkapai-kapai cuba mengingati nama kami, bila name tag yang dibekalkan AJK kami tutup dengan tangan. Can you believe it? Kami pakai name tags that night!

Malam itu juga air mata kami tergenang bila mengenangkan Kak Zaharah Mahwan yang dah pergi meninggalkan kita semua. Al Fatihah..

Malam itu juga kami tertanya-tanya, kemana perginya sebahagian lagi kawan-kawan yang tidak dapat dikesan dan dijejaki. Antaranya, Nor Hamimah Alias, Sabariah Hashim, Usmirah, Zuraidah Shahrin, Rosmawati, …..dan lain-lain.

Aku berjanji pada diri, jika berkesempatan akan aku cuba cari lagi kawan-kawan yang masih belom ku temui. Akan ku jejaki kau wahai Cikgu Saadiah Hashim di bumi Segamat..dan akan ku jejak kau Kak Zuraidah Shahrin di kampungmu…

Dan yang aku paling pastinya, malam itu makcik-makcik berusia 47 dan 48 tahun ini tidak segan-segan terkinja-kinja dan tertawa gembira dan puas bila menatap wajah-wajah teman kesayangan.

Alhamdulillah, Tengku Puan telah berkenan menjemput kami ke istananya di Kuantan untuk perjumpaan kami yang kedua dalam dua tahun lagi. Pada masa itu aku berharap tangan teman-teman akan dapat bertaut ketika memelukku !




Hasnah Khalid @ Duyong.

What A Woman Should Have

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...
enough money within her control to move out
and rent a place of her own, even if she never wants to or needs to...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...
something perfect to wear if the employer, or date of her dreams wants to see her in an hour...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ..
a youth she's content to leave behind....

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...
a past juicy enough that she's looking forward to retelling it in her old age....

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE .....
a set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill, and a black lace bra...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ....
one friend who always makes her laugh... and one who lets her cry...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ....
a good piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in her family...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...
eight matching plates, wine glasses with stems, and a recipe for a meal,

that will make her guests feel honored...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...
a feeling of control over her destiny...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
how to fall in love without losing herself..

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
how to quit a job, break up with a lover, and confront a friend without; ruining the friendship...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
when to try harder... and WHEN TO WALK AWAY..

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
that she can't change the length of her calves,
the width of her hips, or the nature of her parents..

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW..
that her childhood may not have been perfect...but it's over...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
what she would and wouldn't do for love or more...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
how to live alone ... even if she doesn't like it...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW.. .
whom she can trust, whom she can't,
and why she shouldn't take it personally...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
where to go...
be it to her best friend's kitchen table...
or a charming inn in the woods...
when her soul needs soothing...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
what she can and can't accomplish in a day...
a month...and a year...

Thank you for the blessings knowing you have given to my life...

*Poem by Maya Angelou

Treasure Hunt

Assalamualaikom sisters,

Treasure Hunt datang lagi. This time around with better prizes. Come join us. Visit http://treasurehunt.stfoga.org.my/ for more info.

Leymah

R2V Report: May07

With or without any one of the coaches around, the Dynamites continously train - daily from 5.00 till 6.30pm. They know, this year, after losing in the final game last year, they really want to win. They do not want to have any regrets. They do not want to fail for the 2nd time.

Due to my busy schedule, this is my first coaching session after we won the Southern Zone Tourney on the 25th March. But the girls are lucky as Coach Halim is consistently around to monitor and help them with their trainings.My main task is to ensure that their fitness is up to the standards and to remind them on their basic drills.



I had 3 sessions with them. Friday- from 5.00pm to 6.30pm, Saturday morning they had to run 4 x compound within 16 minutes, and the traning sessions only started from 3.00pm to 6.45pm with solat and a tea break in between.



While on Sunday, we had another session from 9.00am till 12.00noon. SK Dalina and SK Hana joined me on Saturday afternoon, after a long drive and a shopping spree in Holiday Plaza. (they bought about 4 handbags each, not forgetting sandals too!!)

SK Dalina, who was the point guard and captain back in 1991, helped to train the girls during the game sessions.It was a great help.

At the end of Sunday's session, the girls and us had a serious discussion.As their Mid-year exams are starting on Monday, I reminded them that they should be ready by now. We, R2V members have always reminded them on how important their studies are and not to study last minute. With bad results, a player can be taken out from the team until they improved in their studies.



They were also reminded to take care of their health. From now till the 'real' day which is about 20 days from now, it is very, very crucial for each and every player. They should know what they should and shouldn't do. Despite of the 3 days tough training and fitness tests, the girls, from Form 2 till Form 5 had fun and enjoyed meeting SK Dalina and SK Hana. Who wouldn't if they were treated with the famous 'goreng pisang and sambal kicap' and had heart to heart sessions too?

Bidding them goodbye, I told them I would be meeting them either at SAKTI itself, or, I might be doing a surprise visit anytime from now till before the tournament.

We hope the girls maintain their spirits and motivation , in order to be the CHAMP this year, Insya Allah.

On behalf of R2V;

SK Spena 91

The friends we made...

When I volunteered to be one of the contributors to this Blog, I was not really thinking of what form my contributions, or the scheme, or the theme of my writing would (and should) be. I was not thinking of how on earth I was going to write a paragraph, let alone a whole page, of a decent entry in my ever so tight schedule! I was just thinking to myself – “I will cross the bridge when I reach it!” I was just too excited by the idea of working together with my Srikandi sisters, doing something which I truly enjoy – that is writing.

I have not been able to contribute much to the alumni, especially in the last four years, due to my circumstances. And so, I thought – this would be my opportunity to chip in, the way I know best, the way I feel most comfortable with.

Little did I know that I would be struggling to come up with my first contribution! I was trying really hard to think of something which everybody reading this Blog could relate to. I was juggling between wanting to write about the teachers we had during my time; the “horror” stories that lurked every now and then in everybody’s five to six years stint at the alma mater; SOME of the food (glorious food!) that never failed to tickle my taste-bud then; SOME of the food (or the so-called food) that has stuck in my mind due to its sheer inedibility; the “toings” and the “boings”; and all the other strange-sounding words and terms exclusively coined by us and only understood by us (Hmmmm, another “Dari Srikandi Untuk Srikandi”?!).

I realized that whenever I tried to recall the incidents with the teachers, the spookies, the foodies, and the wordies, there would always be one thing common running through my recollections of events – the friends that I made during my five years in STF.

Friends who were taught by the same teachers who taught me. Friends who made up nicknames for the teachers they had crushes on. Friends who made up nicknames for the teachers whose bones they felt like crushing (?!). Friends who were made the teachers’ pets (either by their own free-will, or otherwise!). Friends who respected the teachers, and friends who rightfully gained the respect of the teachers…

Friends who huddled up together during the night, taking comfort from each other under the white moz-nets. Friends who would recite the Al-Quran and Yassin and together took solace from the Almighty. Friends who would stay up all night so that you could sleep without fear. Friends who put up fronts and pretended to be brave and invincible, so that others could take comfort in their presence in facing the spookies …

Friends who ran the 100-metre sprint to the dining hall with you every time the bell rang for lunch. Friends who would take away whatever bits of food that you didn’t want on your plate. Friends who would give you their share of food when they knew it was your favourite. Friends who would bring your favourite gado-gado, and “ikan masak lemak kuning” back to your dorm every Saturday when you didn’t feel like walking that 20-meter to the dining hall that day. Friends who recited the do’a together with you at mealtimes. Friends who were thankful for the rizq’ that was bestowed upon them and laid on the table in front of them…

Friends who shared secrets of their “toings” with you. Friends who shared the same “boings” with you. Friends who helped you face your fears in facing your “toings”! (Hahaha!). Friends who conspired with you in ‘derailing’, ‘sidetracking’ and ‘blinding’ the other party in the game of “SMJM”. Friends who stuck by you – irrespective of how “toye” you were…

Friends who grew up with you. Friends who have stayed by you. Friends who doubled your joy. Friends who halved your sorrow. Friends who understood you, even when you didn’t say a word. Friends who listened to your hearts, rather than taking heart of those stupid words you blurted out sometimes (or most of the times)…

Friends who would laugh at your stupid jokes. Friends who could make you laugh even when you were in the deepest of sorrow. Friends who laughed with you, rather than at you. Friends who would laugh with you for no reason at all…

Friends who were really best of friends…

Sadly, for some of us, some of these friends are no longer with us, but, they will stay forever dear in our hearts...

Fortunately, for most of us, these friends are still our friends in the truest sense even after ALL these years…

And thankfully, for all of us, our alma mater has taught us such invaluable lessons –

… to treasure the friendship we had then,

… to value the friendship we have now,

… to nourish the friendship we had then and have now so that it will last beyond our lifetime, Insya Allah…

To all our dear friends who are no longer with us –

May Allah bless their souls.

May they rest in peace.

May the gift of friendship that they bestowed upon us, and the joy they brought us during their lifetime be a significant bekalan pahala for them for the life-after...

Insya Allah... Aamin…

AL-FATIHAH.