What is Friendship?

Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: "What! You, too? Thought I was the only one." C.S.Lewis

It has been over a year since I started recording our memorabilia in this blog. Up till now, I still am faithful with the same green template and its minimal look. Also almost a year ago, I wrote an entry concerning my/our beautiful friends. Anne left her first comment in that entry and we became friends (if she agrees to that term calling) since then.

To continue the same subject of friendship, we made lots of peers just through blogging. In fact, through blogging I was united with a few of my long lost school friends. I am fascinated by this world of blogging where people still able to gain trust and form a special bond between them.

In my case so far, Pycnogenol is spot on with his comment also from the same entry mentioned before. He said;
"I hope that your mum and the rest of the family will be happy to ALSO know that you are surrounded by equally good, interesting and mysterious blogger-friends!!"

Indeed I have not met the majority of my blog friends and some remain anonymous but as long as they leave positive comments, then that's fine by us. Once I was surprised to receive a square envelope with stamps from Turkey. It was a Hari Raya (Eid greetings) card and some family photos from non other than our beloved Simah.

Just a week ago, Kak Elle was on a tour around the Europe and she happened to be in London as her final destination before heading back to Singapore. From London, she gave me a call just to have a chitchat. That was so sweet of her to remember to call us!

Two of my earliest blog friends are DITH and Ikelah. Ardent DITH writes just about anything and everything that evolves around her and creative Ikelah takes phenomenal photographs. Early this year, their son came for a short visit to London. Through Muhammad, DITH and Ikelah sent us a HUGE parcel comprised of lots of ikan bilis, a fuchsia coloured scarf and a couple of magazines.

True that we were ikan bilis deprived for several months at that time. But it didn't even cross my mind to ask for anything from Malaysia. Especially because of the recent food restrictions at the airport and their at that time was not quite appropriate for us to take advantage of. Somehow, thoughtful DITH still got us the goods for which we are eternal grateful. We had an ikan bilis fiesta immediately after receiving them. The above photos are sambal ikan bilis, sambal ikan bilis kering and fried ikan bilis made from the ikan bilis sent by DITH and family and still plenty more left. No more rationing our ikan bilis after that.

Sometime in March-April, Ajzie of Wilhem~Achtzehn asked me to do a favour. It was only a small one that I agreed to give her the assistance. About a month later, a postman came with a parcel from Germany. It was beautifully and neatly wrapped containing two lion soft toys wearing football jersey and another box wrapped in red hearts embellished with red ribbon.

I was perplexed but ecstatic for the gift of a perfume set was too special compared to what I've done for them. As we all know, doing a favour is meant to be done f.o.c. But Ajzie chose to repay it with such bounty (which was absolutely unnecessary) and I thank her and family very, very much.

Of all mentioned here, LoveuJordan is the most recent friend I made through blogging. I feel very fortunate to know her as her blog entries are mainly about her experience in Jordan and her beautiful family. Most of her entries regarding her family inspire me to become a better person.

Through one of the many comments I left in her blog, LoveuJordan replied that she wanted to send me a jelbab from Jordan as a present. I did intend to ask her to buy some jelbab or abaya from Jordan. To get one as a present is too much. The parcel was received last month, and there were a beautiful abaya with maroon embroidered details on the front and two t-shirts for the children too!

It did not end there. Two weeks ago, Maklang's sister and her husband came to Europe for a holiday. Maklang asked if I wanted anything from Malaysia since her sister (Alang) will be in Coventry during the trip. At first I declined, but then our rempah kurma and kari Adabi were running very low. The Asian shop in Coventry has recently been closed! So I asked for a packet each of rempah kurma and kari Adabi.

To meet Alang was not as straightforward as I anticipated. There were a few obstacles on Alang's side and on the day she was in Coventry - our phone decided not to ring. We missed to meet Alang and her husband but they left our parcel with another friend who also lives in Coventry.

My full adoration to Alang and her husband who in spite of their tight schedule on the road, they made an effort to come back to Coventry and search for our house two days later. They really surprised us that fateful afternoon who just came to say hello!

By the way, the parcel Maklang sent us was no ordinary 10kg package. In there were smaller packets wrapped in assorted and colourful wrappers enclosing not just rempah kari and kurma but also all sorts of spices including perencah mee rebus, mee bandung, rempah laksa johor and rempah soto. A big pack of keropok keping and at least a kilo of ikan bilis (yippee yeay!!). There were some ready made sambal ikan bilis and kacang made by Maklang herself packed nicely in plastic bags.

The kids received lots of goodies too, a pair of spiderman outfit for Amar, a couple of tudung and hairclips for Sarah and a beautiful brooch for the Mama. Plus, there was a specific parcel for D too, which I gladly dropped it at her house. Dearest Maklang and family, you have not only made lots of us happy but you have touched our heart too.

So now comes the question. What have I/we done to deserve all this? I have not met them all in person but strangely enough Allah has opened their hearts to be kind to us. Their gifts must have cost a fortune and we are so grateful for their sincerity and generosity in our friendship.

No words can describe our feelings towards their altruism. Nothing I can purchase will match their kindness. The best I can do is to pray that Allah will grant them easiness, happiness and plentiful of rizq in their lives. And I pray that Allah will give us the same in our lives and hope that we can emulate them by their munificence.