TODAY IS MY BEST FRIEND'S BIRTHDAY

As the clock struck 12 this morning, it was the first 21st January which i was not anxious to be sure that i did not forget to wish a dear friend, happy birthday. I would have, but i realise that doing so would make this friend uncomfortable. It is a moment i have strived not to miss for the past 20 odd years of my life, though i must confess that i have, for at least 2 years, actually. Sorry dear friend, but you have had your fair share of misses too.
I am actually inundated with translation work today as i have been every day and night since the dawn of 2006, praise God Almighty for his blessings, but i must set aside everything and take this opportunity to pay tribute to my dearest friend on his 41st birthday.

Your children truly miss you and we all celebrated your birthday in your absence in our own way. You are their father and without you they know they will not be on this earth. There was a time, when i saw one of our children rummaging through our store room under the staircase and I was about to give one of my commando lung emptying holler because i knew things would be strewn across the store room floor and i wasn't ready to clear up the storeroom again, when this son of ours came out with a chequered sarung in his hands, looking rather flustered with embarassment...yours. I pretended not to notice, I just told him, please make sure you close the door behind you because i don't want the cat to go in and do its business there. Ok ummi, came his answer as usual. I was wondering what he was going to do with it, because he has his own sarung for prayers, perhaps, he couldn't find it...that's normal..Being so unlike me, i just let the matter rest...and forgot about it.

That night, as is my practice everynight since i became a single mother, i made my rounds to make sure everyone has gone to bed when they are supposed to, and all lights are turned out and all the dirty laundry collected. In our son's room, i was spectator to the most touching sight, our 15 year old son, who is now on the threshold of being a man, was sleeping like a baby, with your sarung as his blanket. The blanket on his bed, neatly folded on the floor next to the bed. I smoothened the sarong over him, and stroked his hair as tears welled up in my eyes. I know he misses you and they all love and respect you. It is my promise to you, that you will never be forgotten. You live in them, your blood is pumped in their veins. There were so many happy memories we had together. We will preserve this in our memory and all the misgivings and shortcomings will be strewn into the ocean. They will always respect and love you, regardless, because you have given them the gift of life. I promise to always give excuses for things you are unable to fulfill because you are only human, and only God can fulfill all needs. Even separated, we will still function as parents complementing one another for the sake of these 7 beautiful souls we have brought on to this earth. Every special ocassion, be it your birthday, our wedding anniversary, their birthdays, the eid and every other public holiday you will be remembered, and to them you are present, in spirit,as they have come to realise that you may not be able to be there in person. And in each and everyone of this ocassion, we have prayed and will pray for your happiness and prosperity, because we know prosperity lies very close to your heart. May every single thing that you need be given to you. May you find the happiness that you have set out to seek. May your life be good, here and in the hereafter

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAREST FRIEND.