Some time during the Hari Raya I received an email from a friend who live in the UK, the United Kingdom, a friends that is also in the golden age, much older the me, a very pleasant English gentlemen who love to travel...In his youth he served the British Army and was among the warrior that the British sent to their colonies all over the world and He happen to be the fortunate or the unfortunate person to have been send to Malaya, now Malaysia...I guessed he fell in love with this eastern paradise and after he left the service, he returned to his homeland and later on for the love of the east, he start to make a regular trip to this part of the world and this includes Malaysia...I came to know him sometime in the year nineteen eighty nine and has since became close friends...When we parted in Kuantan, we promice to keep in touch and we have been doing just that ever since.... Whenever he is in Malaysia He would visit us and the same with me, when my spouse and me visit the UK some years ago, we met him and together we drove all over southern England...It was an interesting journey and indeed a memorable one....Well coming back to the subject of the email that he send recently, the content touches me and it really makes me happy, it is a sorts of a gift on this Adil Fitri evening, so I thought that with his permission I would like to share his short and rather thoughtful email with the world to read and perhaps learn something about friendship, that transcend boarder, race, creed and religion...It has makes me and my family happy and enriched our life and I am sure it has done the same to him....So my friends this is the letter that I wanted to share with all:-

It started with this greeting "Selamat Hari Raya Eid el Fitr keluarga Idrus"

Nov 15

Dear Idrus and Asmah,I share your enthusiasm for this great day,[I supposed he read my posting on the Aidil Fitri] particularly because I now have something to eat, thanks to your kindness. Your gift has brightened up this dank and chilly neighbourhood and as I listen I hear fireworks going off to the east of this city where our Asian community chooses to live.I went shopping in one of Leicesters Shopping malls - it reminded me of KL - our Muslim community was dashing around buying barang barang - the kids were all excited.I am touched by your gift - what an unusual present but also very welcome - just a taste of what I miss so much. Your gift dispelled some of the gloom I felt as a result of the US election.

Regards - and do not stuff yourself - moderation is everything. Ken