A Walk Down Memory Lane - Birthdays (or at least the ones I remembered)
I cannot really recall my first birthday party except that it consisted of me, Abang, my parents, Mok (my nanny) and a pulut kuning (or nasi kunyit as we call it) with a single candle. I still keep a picture of that day - me trying to blow that lone candle with Mok cheering in the background. I don't think I remember anything else about it. What I gathered from my parents is that a few minutes after that pic was taken, they added two more candles so that Abang can blow 'his' birthday cake as well!
The second birthday went almost as ceremoniously. Me with a cake (a proper one this time - with icing and all!) and the same people around. I remembered the cake as being huge and yellow. This time, the pictures showed me and Abang blowing the candles together. One side there were 2, and the other 4. *Hmm... now it explains why Abang had more toys than me...he celebrates TWO birthdays a year!*
I don't have any idea how the next few birthdays were. The first official birthday party I had was when I was five. Nothing fancy schmancy, just a tea party with the kids from the neighbourhood. Some cakes, some jelly *sumi jeli manis, rasa segar agar-agar buaaahh..SUMI!!* and lots of laughter. I don't remember having any party packs or games, we kinda played our own games - the usual tol ppatung and greenspot while enjoying the sweets. Ooh, but I remembered what I wore though - my then fave white skirt with little hearts and a matching top. Not quite a smart idea since I managed to dirty it in every possible way!
When I was eight, Mama threw me a proper birthday party. One where school friends came. One with homemade animal masks and various party games. Oh, we had so much fun. We had games like 'kotok beracung', musical chair, pin the donkey's tail (but it was a kerbau instead of a donkey) and finally, tol ppatung (again?) and bola katok. We had plenty of cakes and pastries, as well as nasi kunyit, noodles and finger food to keep us going till dusk! I still remember the party as clear as day. Parents came too, and the elders had their own party getting to know each other. The good old days where neighbours were friendly and people are trustworthy *sigh*.
Later as a teenager, birthdays normally mean dinner parties with friends and a quieter celebration at home with the loved ones. And my 21st birthday - my first birthday away from the country, Kerry and the gang *bless them all* threw a surprise home-cooked party in my small flat. It was everything I wanted really - the people I loved, new friends and familiar food. They even tried to make karipap to make me feel more at home! My flatmates couldn't understand why I didn't celebrate THE birthday getting wasted somewhere, or hold a HUGE party for everyone. But looking at my friends actually enjoying cooking (and later finishing) the dish, they got sucked into the simple Asian birthday dinners. In fact, dear Nikolas and Chris celebrated their birthday our style that year - with Nasi Lemak as the main dish!
Now as I grew older, birthdays are usually just a day to remind me how much I've grown and how far I've been in life. No more surprises , no more big bangs of a party. In fact, I would actually be relieved if my birthday goes away unnoticed. Apart from wishes from those who matter most in my life, the girls would usually throw an all-girls dinner (aka the bitching session)..which we have every few months whenever one of us turned ..err..wiser.
And this year, as I soon turn *whispering a certain number*, all I wish for is to find that missing piece in my life, and work towards the fulfillment I always dream of. To be happy and grateful for just being alive, and breathing deeply into the air around me. And of course, to thank God for giving me everything I have all my life all these while.
The second birthday went almost as ceremoniously. Me with a cake (a proper one this time - with icing and all!) and the same people around. I remembered the cake as being huge and yellow. This time, the pictures showed me and Abang blowing the candles together. One side there were 2, and the other 4. *Hmm... now it explains why Abang had more toys than me...he celebrates TWO birthdays a year!*
I don't have any idea how the next few birthdays were. The first official birthday party I had was when I was five. Nothing fancy schmancy, just a tea party with the kids from the neighbourhood. Some cakes, some jelly *sumi jeli manis, rasa segar agar-agar buaaahh..SUMI!!* and lots of laughter. I don't remember having any party packs or games, we kinda played our own games - the usual tol ppatung and greenspot while enjoying the sweets. Ooh, but I remembered what I wore though - my then fave white skirt with little hearts and a matching top. Not quite a smart idea since I managed to dirty it in every possible way!
When I was eight, Mama threw me a proper birthday party. One where school friends came. One with homemade animal masks and various party games. Oh, we had so much fun. We had games like 'kotok beracung', musical chair, pin the donkey's tail (but it was a kerbau instead of a donkey) and finally, tol ppatung (again?) and bola katok. We had plenty of cakes and pastries, as well as nasi kunyit, noodles and finger food to keep us going till dusk! I still remember the party as clear as day. Parents came too, and the elders had their own party getting to know each other. The good old days where neighbours were friendly and people are trustworthy *sigh*.
Later as a teenager, birthdays normally mean dinner parties with friends and a quieter celebration at home with the loved ones. And my 21st birthday - my first birthday away from the country, Kerry and the gang *bless them all* threw a surprise home-cooked party in my small flat. It was everything I wanted really - the people I loved, new friends and familiar food. They even tried to make karipap to make me feel more at home! My flatmates couldn't understand why I didn't celebrate THE birthday getting wasted somewhere, or hold a HUGE party for everyone. But looking at my friends actually enjoying cooking (and later finishing) the dish, they got sucked into the simple Asian birthday dinners. In fact, dear Nikolas and Chris celebrated their birthday our style that year - with Nasi Lemak as the main dish!
Now as I grew older, birthdays are usually just a day to remind me how much I've grown and how far I've been in life. No more surprises , no more big bangs of a party. In fact, I would actually be relieved if my birthday goes away unnoticed. Apart from wishes from those who matter most in my life, the girls would usually throw an all-girls dinner (aka the bitching session)..which we have every few months whenever one of us turned ..err..wiser.
And this year, as I soon turn *whispering a certain number*, all I wish for is to find that missing piece in my life, and work towards the fulfillment I always dream of. To be happy and grateful for just being alive, and breathing deeply into the air around me. And of course, to thank God for giving me everything I have all my life all these while.
posted by lion3ss | 6:54 PM
|
25 comments
