Last day of 2007

Today is the last day of 2007. I have been at my pc since this morning - finishing the PMR composition book. Now just sitting here, reflecting on the past year.

Well early in the year I was in Mekah, doing my haj. That was an unforgettable time. I was afraid before I went - after all the stories I've heard, of sinners who are not forgiven. I'm grateful - that I was forgiven, both by Him and by Repin. I wish I can go again - this time not for atonement but just to revel in that holiest of holy places, to worship the Almighty and to do all those nafl prayers I missed when I was there. I would like to go to the Masjid Nabawi too, to visit with the Prophet (pbuh) and just sit near his mausoleum and pray.

This year too we got our grand daughter - the irrepressible Sophia Meiyin. I love her so much sometimes it feels like my whole heart is full. I'm grateful to Allah for her - for giving her to her parents and giving her to us. I feel like she completes our life as I'm sure she completes Rizal's and Pohling's too. As you can see from the pictures I posted she is a happy child.

Outside of this tiny space of my life, this year too has been a year of upheavals and political turmoil, both in Malaysia and out. In Malaysia there was the Bersih campaign and the Hindraf protest. Both turned ugly though luckily nobody was seriously injured. I know a lot of people, mostly the young and the cynical, think that the Bersih Campaign is for the good of all and that our polls are clearly corrupt. I disagree with them. Rather - those people I feel had other motives for protesting, and none of them clean. Especially when you hear that Keadilan was at the bottom of the campaign.

Out in the world Pakistan is one country that has had a lot of upheaval in the past few months. Even before Benazir came back to Pakistan that country has been having problems concerning Musharaf's regime. Since her return things went from bad to worse. And now she is dead and I don't know what will happen to Pakistan. I wish the people weren't so volatile, so passionate about things, so violent in their passion. Moderation has its points too.

The world too is in a bad shape environmentally. Global warming has started to show its fangs and Mother Nature seems to be going bonkers with heavy storms and hurricanes all over the world. In Bangladesh and China severe storms and floodings have killed thousands of people. The same went to India, the US and parts of Europe. Is the end of the world really coming soon?

I hope next year things will be better. For us, Repin and I would like to go for our Umrah. I would like to see my children more settled in their lives - Rizal and Pohling with Sophia; Wan and Eliza I hope will really get back together if that is what they want. I think the girls are ok - Sara I hope will distance herself from Neville ;and Shasha - well she is who she is. I think she's happy as she is and happy too at Kinokuniya. I hope that she will continue her Japanese and one day get her dream job in Japan.

Do I have any resolutions for 2008? I wont call them resolutions - because whenever I make any I don't really follow up. But I do hope I will finish reading the Quran (and know its meaning); I hope too that I will pray all the nafl prayers every time, not just the fajar ones. I would ask God to give me patience - for I have never had that quality and I really need it. Repin is not only patient, he's always calm, unlike me. Must be the Pathan side of me.