Ramadan

Sometimes I cannot believe how time flies.I feel that it was only yesterday that we had our Idil Fitr and now its already one year and Ramadan is here again. Since 2006 I've had a menses free Ramadan which is great for me because it means that I could fast and pray without stopping for the whole month. Its quite liberating actually. No more worries about how many days I have to replace and when I can replace them. Since 2006 also I've had time to go for the Tarawih prayers as well as do the optional 6 days of fasting during the month of Syawal. I guess for those of you who aren't Muslims all this sounds a bit strange. But Ramadan is the month when Muslims all over the world fast from sun -up to sun down. Fasting during Ramadan is not just a physical action but should involve the spiritual too. By this I mean that we should not just fast physically but also spiritually - no losing of tempers, stop ourselves from hurting others in word or deed, no lying, cheating or anything bad. It also means that we should discipline ourselves from all kinds of temptations - whether it is delicious food, expensive clothes or anything that smacks of extravagance. It is a month of prayers and giving charity, helping the poor and generally being kind to those who are weaker than us.

Thus Ramadan is actually a good month for Muslims - if we follow the teachings faithfully that is. However, many Malaysian Muslims I notice indulge themselves even more during this time. There are Ramadan bazaars all over the city - selling food of every kind, all you need is to buy them. For many Malaysians too, this is the time for the other races to taste some great Malaysian food. So just pop into the nearest Ramadan bazaar and you can see Malays mingling with Chinese and Indians - all indulging in the typical Malaysian pastime - buying food.

Emily Dickinson, one of my favorite poets

Browsing through some of Emily Dickinson's poems I came across this one:

A PRECIOUS, mouldering pleasure ’t is
To meet an antique book,
In just the dress his century wore;
A privilege, I think,
His venerable hand to take,	5
And warming in our own,
A passage back, or two, to make
To times when he was young.
His quaint opinions to inspect,
His knowledge to unfold	10
On what concerns our mutual mind,
The literature of old;
What interested scholars most,
What competitions ran
When Plato was a certainty,	15
And Sophocles a man;
When Sappho was a living girl,
And Beatrice wore
The gown that Dante deified.
Facts, centuries before,	20
He traverses familiar,
As one should come to town
And tell you all your dreams were true:
He lived where dreams were born.
His presence is enchantment,	25
You beg him not to go;
Old volumes shake their vellum heads
And tantalize, just so.

Visiting Sophia

Fireworks

We've been in Singapore since Friday last week.  On Friday Sarah and I went to Orchard road, looking for some clothes for Sarah but after looking around we ended up at Marks and Spencer's after all. Repin came on Saturday and we all went to view the fireworks display at the harbour. It was a rehearsal for the Singapore National day. We had a grandstand view of it at Rizal's office. It was a really fantastic display. I think this was the most beautiful fireworks display I had ever seen - there were so many colours - iridescent green, golden yellows and reds and blues.

On Monday we went to Arab Street where Pohlin bought the fabrics for her beautiful cushion covers. I can't sew, but after seeing the cushion covers I thought - " Hmm ...  must learn how to. After all I do have a sewing machine." I was a bit greedy though - bought so many fabrics - can't help myself. They were all cotton and in such bright gorgeous colours! I plan to sew now.