Sometimes we need to be lost for a while for us to be found...
The above quote was posted as a status update on my Facebook wall in April of last year. I was facing a rough patch in terms of my job direction and was thinking of laying low for a bit, just so I can re-check my bearings and plan for something new.
The remark triggered a series of responses from friends that centred more on the issue of loyalty of friendship, on being taken for granted, on being ignored and on the desire for reciprocal attention. Somewhat different from what I expected but interesting nonetheless.
The exchange of comments reached a sombre tone when my late friend whom I wrote about earlier, Roswati Abdul Wahab, joined the discussion by saying that she always look out for friends but sometimes friends tend to forget about her.
This prompted someone to reply : Ros, not forgotten. Dalam ingatan.
The response from Roswati : Dalam ingatan tu untuk orang dah tak ada.. agak2 bila I dah tak ada orang ingat tak kat I.. ehmmm agaknya terus lupa.. dah lah lost..
I guess at that time, my good friend was in low spirits, which is perfectly understandable if you know what she was going through. I put on my thinking hat to say something that would hopefully take away some of her gloom.
My response : Cikgu Ros, sometimes we cannot help if others forget about us... human nature being what it is. Actually, when we are gone it wouldn't matter if our friends remember us or not... because we wouldn't know about it anyway. The important thing is that while we are alive, we have done good for our friends.. that would be the measure..
And so my friend, I am saying this again... you have done remarkably good deeds for your friends while you were with us. You'll remain in our hearts. You rest well, Ros. God willing, we hope to join you in that promised place none too soon. Al-fatihah...
6 comments:
Oldstock, a wise and comforting response indeed.
Al Fatihah for Allahyarhamah Roswati.
I'm lying low from FB too after deciding not to delete it for the sake of making myself available if anybody wants to keep in touch. Arwah mmg seorang sahabat yang tak mungkin dilupakan..her story still lingers in my head..sayang saya mengenalinya hanya setelah dia tiada. Al-fatihah.
In all it is a sobering thought. Think of the poor and how lucky we are, and with that what little we can do for them or the likes of them before we are being told that time's up.
Thanks for the kind words, As. How are you coping with student life nowadays? Hopefully you'll find success.
Ibu Hliza,
Weaning ourselves from FB once in while may turn out to be a good thing. Sometimes you can get bored reading too much mundane stuff posted by your friends.
Yes, arwah was a remarkable lady. Once in a while we meet such kind souls... and when they leave, we wonder if we are going meet another one with the same kindness.
Pakcik Al-Manar,
True words indeed. Which is why I have a very high regard to what you are doing over there in Trengganu, helping those poor children with their education. Yours is a very noble effort and may Allah swt reward you kindly for it.
Post a Comment