A Birthday bash @ Buka Puasa...

When I was growing up there was no such things as a Birthday Party. Birthday comes and goes, at time without notice. And then when we had kids we did it for them and now the kid did it for their kids. It is when the grand kids grow up that they decided to celebrate grandma and grandpa Birthday with cakes and candles and all the trimming of a party. It was fun to see the young grand kids waiting to blow out the candles as thought it was their Birthday Party. But then it was truly fun to watch the glitters in their eyes enjoying the Birthday do of their grandparents. Of course we the grand’s did enjoy that moment in time. Indeed a beautiful moment in our golden age that we would cherished forever and ever.

Last Monday was our eldest granddaughter nineteenth Birthday and she wanted to celebrate that special Birthday, the end of her teenage years with her friends from the college. She starts college last year and this year her younger sister joins her there. They both decided to do Medicine in the steps of their Mom and Dad. This is our eldest granddaughter first Birthday Party since been in college. Been in the month of Ramadan and to make it easy for everyone she decided to have it done at the Buka Puasa session on that evening at their home, not that faraway from ours.

So that evening just before the time of the Breaking of the Fast we drove to their home and on arrival I notice there are many cars parked at both sides of the roads. At that moment in time I was wondering why there are so many cars. I quip to grandma that there must be another party around but grandma quip back saying that it must be those friends of our granddaughter coming for the Buka Puasa cum Birthday Party. I was actually taken aback and indeed very surprise that all of them came driving on their own. The last time I met them there were just kids and it was their parents that send them and later pick them after the party is over. But today it was different in that they all came on their own driving their cars, perhaps borrowed from their parents and excited of getting to the party on their own. I even overheard one or two of them saying that it is their cars. Just like us they must be really fascinated with cars, the toys of our species.

I was indeed surprised and lost for words seeing the friends of our granddaughter all have grown up into adult in such a spans of times like a fast-forward scene. Indeed as seen in the image above they all have grown up into adults and on their way of becoming professionals in a few years time. These are science students who are now starting college in Year One at the MARA IB College at Banting. By this time next year they would leave to further their studies in Medicine, Engineering, Architecture, Accounting and other disciplines at various universities overseas. What an exciting moment that Birthday was to us, for we are seeing the generation of our grandchildren growing into adults with ambition beyond our wildest dream. These are the cream of the generation of our grandchildren and I am sure they would make it in whatever they are studying. Before we know it they would return with knowledge beyond the imaginations of their forefather and would contribute further toward the development of the country in fields beyond the thoughts of my generation.

In those days it was already great to get an Art degree and got a job in the MCS or the other Government services. Before that it was the out of the world experience to be selected and trained as teacher at Kirkby or other institutions in the UK. The return of those trained teachers brought much advancement in the level of teaching in our schools; which in turn produce many fine graduates at the local University especially the University of Malaya where most of our present leaders got their tertiary education. Now the generation of our children educated both at local universities and overseas are at the helms of many institutions and the country continue to progress. I am glad to get to see the generation of our grandchildren is again in the fore pursuing knowledge that would eventually bring up the country to another level. In that short period that I had interact with the group at that Birthday Party I am more optimistic then ever that they would made Malaysia proud in their achievement at the Universities. Where they would learn and experience the reality of living.

Folks it is only through good education that we would be able to prosper to a level like those in the west and with that the society would be able to enjoy a better quality of life then ever before. It is no longer a dream but a reality that would bore result in the making of a successful society. I told those young lads the road toward success is education and knowledge. And that they must continue to acquire knowledge to the highest level; for it is knowledge that allows a nation to be in control of its destiny. So to go ahead and acquire knowledge for their success would augur well for the future of this beloved country of ours, Malaysia. Have a nice day and take care.

[Please click on image to enlarge]