The reason why I suddenly feel like blogging today is because I want to share with all of you about how fascinated I am when it comes to festive seasons. And behold people, today Muslims all around the world are celebrating 'Eid-al Adha' (sounds so unfamiliar) which generally known to Malaysians as Hari Raya Haji ;) !
I know, we exaggerate a lot, I mean which citizens in which country celebrate Eid-al Fitr (again, sounds so unfamiliar) for a month? In Islam I heard that it is supposed to be celebrated for only a day, the day for us to celebrate our big victory after fasting for a month. Am I right? But here in Malaysia, Raya is like the biggest celebration ever. Raya is the time when we eat, when the mothers smile all the time that the children love their dishes so much, when the fathers start to gain weight, when children put their cute grins to gain incomes (duit raya) from the elders, when granddads and grandmas are in their healthiest state ever to see the big families are gathered, the time when you and your friends attend each others places for 'rumah terbuka', the time when everyone, well, content and happy and full.
Even non-Malays celebrate it with their Malay friends. (I know, there is no other place like here, lol how cliche). I think it's all about social and geographic factors. Here family bonds are still quite strong and the sense of 'togetherness' is still deep buried in our souls. Will it be Deepavali or Chinese New Year, the highways will be packed of citizens making their way home impatiently to meet the elders. The big cities are empty, almost deserted when it's public holiday. This proves how we still put our families first, no matter what.
It's a nice feeling to know how we still have this kind of sense even though we are all kind of 'westernized' by them. The Western boys maybe can change the way we dress, the way we think, the way we do stuff, but can never change the way we love each other. Togetherness brings us together.
Same goes with Raya Haji. It's the day when you suddenly receive unexpected calls from long-lost relatives or your childhood friends, your sisters, your brothers, your cousins, simply to wish 'selamat hari raya, maaf zahir batin'. It's the day when you forgive and forget and move on.
Whether it be Hari Raya Puasa/Haji, Deepavali, Chinese New Year, Hari Gawai, Thaipusam, Moon cake Festival, Christmas, or even Independence day - they all bring us together.
p.s Pardon me for being too optimistic and, well, should I say patriotic? Can't help it, I love this place and I only see the beautiful sides when I love something. Aren't we all?
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