Yesterday,while taking my mother to our village market,I met my friends -together in Std 6,1964.It was really a rare occasion because most of us had left our village more than 30 years to study and work.All of us were looking for our favourite foods/cakes for iftar(break of fast).
My old classmates are really diversified-from farmer/contract workers to profesionals/politicians.At every exam(Std 6,Form 3,Form 5,Upper 6),we were being evaluated,dropped,promoted and separated into many categories and classes of careers. By the time, I was at the university, none of my primary schoolmates were with me and I got more new friends as I went to new schools and university.That is life and now the new friends become old friends when I lost contact with most of my primary schoolmates.
As I grow older and about to retire in the next few years,my friends from the corporate world are fading away(they call them business friends-no business,no friends) and I am getting closer to my schoolmates in boarding school(SDAR) and the first organisation I worked(JKR).
And tonight,I am catching up with an old friend for supper...
Photo of my friends:Download P1010026.MOV
As they say:
Make new friends, but keep the old
Those are silver, these are gold
***
New-made friendships, like new wine,
Age will mellow and refine
;-)
Posted by: Honeytar | Monday, October 18, 2004 at 04:54 PM
adib.typepad.com
Hello Adib,
I hadn't read your blog for some time, but yesterday, in the I-café, I downloaded the latest for home reading. (I do not have a phone connexion at home', I'm back in Spain).
And again --as I wrote your earlier-- I enjoyed the underlying atmosphere of your being as a muslim believer.
I know it is unintentionally, you just write and do and read what you do, but to me it is a relief to read these simple "messages from inside muslim" whereas papers and other media can only describe "muslim from the outside" and tend to concentrate on the fundamentalist's aspect only, because there is "The News".
Nevertheless, this summer, being in France, I could follow the sincere discussions about the disputed headscarf for muslim woman. Also here I could note the difference between the way it was discussed between people, honest, respectful, and the "black vs white" type of discussions you could read in the papers and see on TV
It is always important to keep in touch with "the other reality" when strong political discussions are going on.
Your blog offers me such a link. I'll keep reading you.
Keep writing, God bless you
Kindest regards, Gérard van Eyk
Posted by: Gérard | Monday, October 18, 2004 at 05:45 PM
It's just so nice to meet old old friends. I'm not saying that i've been around long enough to have friendships that has lasted as yours but it's always nice isn't it ;)
Cheers!!! :D
Posted by: hyelbaine | Monday, October 18, 2004 at 09:13 PM
Old friends are always the best! The most loyal, the one who understands you best! :) It's really nice having long lasting friendships...though in my 22 years of life, I've yet to find out if any of my friendships will pass the friendship's test of time ;) Hope it will, though!
Posted by: NNN | Wednesday, October 20, 2004 at 12:19 AM
From my experience, not all old friends or new friends can be trusted.It all depends on circumtances;a few may not be honest or loyal to us all the time.
The Malay words has many varieties of names for friends.They are :rakan,kawan,taulan,sahabat etc. Each has its own meaning.
Posted by: Adib | Wednesday, October 20, 2004 at 09:40 AM
.
old friends, treasures from the past, that's what they are. there are some whom i have known for 30 years. some are successful, many are "biasa", a few not doing too well but they are all friends....
.
Posted by: dudae | Thursday, October 21, 2004 at 12:05 AM