It is already the second of January two zero zero four...a new year and it is already the weekend. This weekend there is a wedding invitation from a friend, so there is another party to attend...so last night I went to attend the first part of the wedding, the official and the most important part of the wedding...it is what we call the 'angkat nikah' ceremony...It is at this ceremony that the couple is wed by the bride's father or the local Imam...once this is done then both the bride and bridegroom are officially husband and wife...It is a simple ceremony but a very significant one indeed...it is performances in accordance to the teaching of Islam... Many people were invited to this ceremony and because the hall of the house is normally small and could accommodate only a small number of people...normally only a small group are invited to attend such ceremony..... and I am being a close friend of the bride's father is among the few invited for this occasion...so I went and on arrival found that the inner of the house where the ceremony were to take place were full of people and children....and it look like there is no place for us to sit...so we set outside.... the reason this happen is that the people that came with the bridegroom brought their children as well and did not bother to ask their children to sit outside... so that the space could be given to the adult ...like me and others that are invited...As for the host it is rather difficult for them to ask those kids to leave the hall since it would be misunderstood as unfriendly and it would create a scene perhaps ugly.....which no one with the right mind want to happen in a solemn ceremony of this nature...the right way was that for their parents to understood the situation and ask their children to sit outside...but this did not happen.....so not to create an unnecessary difficulty to the host....We all just decide to sit outside until the ceremony finished....I hope those people that read this would realized that they had a role to play in creating a good atmosphere in such ceremony and the next time not to bring their children to such a function...if they wanted, then they should ask their children to just sit outside...it would be wise for the guests not to bring their children at such ceremony...because this solemn ceremony is just meant for the adult only....The ceremonial part is at the Wedding Party the next day...the children could come along on this day if the parent wanted to....even at the party parent or guests should not bring their children if the party is held at the hotel or public hall as at these places seats are limited as to the number of dinner ordered by the host....if the party is held at the resident of the bride then it is alright to bring others or the children to attend such wedding party...it is normal for the host to overestimate the number of guests that attend such party if done at their resident......well that is the nature of things when people do not take the trouble to understand the real meaning of an invitation...the invited guests are left to fend for themselves outside and the uninvited children were given places that are supposed for the invited guests....So as soon as the ceremony finished....we left rather unhappy....well guests are human too...and they have feeling....it happen..what can we do..only hope that it would not happen again......