jom!

"Recite in the name of your Lord who created" (Al-'Alaq 96:1)
When you read, you can never go wrong.

Mak taught me to read in such an early age. She did not start with the alphabet, but she starts with syllable. ka ki ku. ta ti tu. That brown book. i remember. Before masuk tadika i am a fluent reader. I dont have my book yet at that time, always needs to borrow Kakmam's fairy tales book. I still remember, it is yellow in colour and she likes Snow White during that time. Maybe she still likes it now. Tak suke pegi tadika sbab cikgu ajar eja ayam. The first day pegi tadika dapat buku latihan. the next day, ive done it all. That creates boredom in tadika. Mak handles library in her school and i grew up accustomed to library. The house is filled with books. Mak and her collection of detective stories...and also Malay literature. Mak was always absorbed with her 'Biggles' and when she is reading, there is no point to talk to her. I was exposed to encyclopedia. I found every fact in the encycopedia as valuable and interesting. My favourite will be about nature and wildlife. Not a surprise that i fond of National Geographic documentary and animals. Every month, when its payday, Mak will come home with a pile of books. Oh how i love that day. Bambino, Kawan. Dewan Pelajar. Mastika. Excitednya! One of the rooms in my house are the 'library'. There is a bookshelf lining the wall. The most collection is Mak's detective stories. Siri Salma, Siri Hadi...maybe sume siri2 penyiasat pn ade. There are also fables from other countries. That was my bedtime stories. You see, i dont read English much. I got this English from the songs and movies. I seldom listen to Malay songs when i was little. Dont ask me why. I watch English movies, but not Disney. Again, dont ask me why coz i wouldnt be able to answer. Also, every month, Mak will bring Kakmam, Saddam and I to Harfa in Bagan Ajam. This bookstore is the place mak looks for books for her school library. The carboot would be filled with the books and i got to read it first before mak puts it in the library. While mak search for suitable books to order, all three of us will wander in the bookstore. Heaven, seriously. Mcm nk pengsan gembira dapat dok kat bookstore camtuh. What a treasure.

But then, when i went to secondary school. I lost it all. I do not read anymore. I was just too busy. And i regretted it. Very much.

Mak reads Arenawati, A.Samad Said, Keris Mas and other. Me? Ill go to Shahnon Ahmad. Ummi dan Abang Sheikul (cant really recall the title), Shit, my favourite will be 'Detik-detik Diri di Daerah Daif'. Awesome. Kampung Banggul Derdap dan Bukit Srengenge...how can i forget. Ayat2 nye naked. Mmg bare habis. While i was reading the book, my mind was full with questions - 'if i ever write, will i ever be able to write as honest and truthful as his words' I am still looking for that book. Balek nnt mmg nk lepak kat DBP (ill drag line and tasha with me..and Sarah, IF she reads Malay). Ill borong all the novels that i desperately want now. Ramlee Awang Murshid, Habiburrahman El Shirazy and Shahnon Ahmad's Mahabbah.

In this farway land, where people read like crazy...i hope to bring that habit into my community.
People who read much, for me is the richest people. And by bring a wise person that i can carry out my task as a Khalifah in the short time that i have in this world.

to be continued (not a promise)

Love,
Awatif Adilah