Honour God, respect the man, love the lady, protect the kids.

When her mother passed away from childbirth, Ushio's dad was so devastated that he gave up Ushio to be raised by her maternal grandparents. Tomoya visited her only now and then, choosing to distant himself because he missed his late wife Nagisa too much it hurts.

One day they were tricked by the grandmother to go on a trip together. Tomoya wasn't in a good mood and he yelled at some kid on the train. Ushio was 5, 6 years old maybe? She was scared and unknowingly ran off to the bathroom.

Tomoya looked all over for her. When he found her exiting the bathroom, he scolded her for running off without telling him. She looked like she just got off crying, so the stoic father asked the young daughter why was she crying in the bathroom.

Ushio told him that grandmother only allowed her to cry in two places. One was in the bathroom. Ushio never mention to her father where was the second.

Tomoya was silent. He never thought his mother-in-law was that strict.

At the end of that episode, Tomoya realised what a lousy father he was, that Ushio was suffering because of his negligence. They made up and Ushio cried so hard (bawled, more like) in his arms.

She told him that the second place grandmother allowed her to cry was in her father's arms

.

Tomoya cried.

---

That was one of the most touching episode in Clannad After Story. The last time I watched that series was probably years ago but a good story fixes itself in my brain and fibroses there.

---

Found a quote just now. It said something like

When a husband felt truly respected, a wife felt truly loved, the children felt protected and God truly honoured, the marriage can withstand anything.

I suppose so. That's what children want when they are with their parents. I'm nearing 23 and been living abroad nearly five years, doing things on my own and getting into and out of trouble for as long as I can remember. But when I face a problem and tell my dad about it, I actually want him to take care of it for me. Haha.

(But he didn't. Pfft. Kinda sucks being grown up.)

When you've been on the loose for awhile, feeling protected is a welcomed fresh air. The rest of the quote is open to interpretation. Haha.

I am having my Paediatrics written exam this Saturday. Please pray for us and for our brothers in Palestine and Syria as well.

Homemade Kicap Soya

Kak Teha baked some muffins for her circle today and she assembled them in my room. When I walked in, she gave me one. I accepted and walked to where Kicap and Soya were chirping madly this evening.

Picked a small bit off my muffin and placed it in front of those two chicks. "Here, Kak Teha baked. Shut up and enjoy."

Those two obliged. I ate my muffin while watching them. They pecked and pecked and then went elsewhere, not finishing the piece of muffin. I scoffed at them.

"Oh," an afterthought came to mind. "Forgot to tell you there's egg in the muffin. Haha."

---

I brought home two baby chicks two days ago. Going to fat them up and fry them once they're big enough or keep them alive if they provide us with fresh morning eggs. We named them Kicap (the brown one) and Soya (the white one).

Kicap today seems fluffier and more boisterous. I touched him and he ran like headless on fire. He's going to be hell to catch once big enough to be slaughtered. He's also fun to play with. I pick him up and he'll walk all over my hand, perching like a bird on my one finger, or each foot on separate fingertips. He'll watch solemnly from above like the king of his kind forgetting that he is actually a flightless chick who fits nicely in my palm and I can squeeze him asphyxiated anytime.

Whereas Soya is a drama chick. She chirped with her mouth opened plenty times today. I think that's the equivalent of screaming like a cat is onto her and woke me up from my afternoon nap. Kinda annoyed, but made me grateful they're baby chicks, not human baby.

I bought two because for survival, there should be two of you. And when there's two of you, you can dream bigger dreams. If the chicks were to escape from me, being together will give them higher chance for success. I like to see them try.

Anyway. Hurry up and get fat already.

Iman Budak Syria

Sementara tunggu viva start pagi tadi, study sebelah Aisyah. Aisyah cerita yang Iman budak Syria dalam kelas diorang tu tak amik O&G tahun ni.

"Eh. Kenapa. Dia tahun berapa sebenarnya?"

Iman tahun lima, sama dengan kami. Dia transfer kredit daripada universiti dia di Damsyik dan datang belajar di Kasr el-Ainy sejak lebih kurang tujuh bulan lepas.

Walaupun dia transfer kredit, banyak je subjek praklinikal yang dia kena amik. Aisyah enumerate tadi, banyak juga. Physio, Pharma, dan sebagainya. Semua tu dia kena ambil tahun ni.

"Sebab tu dia tak ambil O&G tahun ni. Dia amik tahun depan. Paeds dia ambil. Dia end round sekali dengan kita haritu. Dia dapat 80 lebih."

"Wow." Dalam keadaan dia ambil banyak subjek, still dapat tinggi Paeds end round. "Hebatnya dia."

Aisyah cerita. Iman struggle nak study dekat kelas sebab kelas kami bahasa Inggeris. Dekat Syria manade belajar bahasa Inggeris. Iman selalu datang kelas nangis sebab teringat keluarga dia. Mak ayah adik2 dia masih di Damsyik. Ayah dia suruh dia datang sini untuk sambung belajar. Sebab macam mana nak sambung belajar dekat Syria sekarang ni? Aisyah kata, kawan2 kelas dia yang lelaki semuanya dah syahid.

Allah. Saya terdiam.

"Kalau aku jadi dia, aku tak boleh nak study," komen kawan di sebelah kanan saya. "Mesti teringat famili."

"Ye, tapi apa lagi yang boleh Iman buat? Kalau bukan dia yang study, siapa lagi akan study?" Saya lontarkan. Terasa hati retak. Siapa akan jadi doktor untuk anak2 Syria seterusnya?

Hidup perlu diteruskan dengan kita memainkan peranan kita di posisi yang Allah tetapkan buat kita. 'You are where you need to be.'

"Segannya aku. Aku main2 lagi study O&G ni..." Semoga Allah ampunkan kelalaian dan sikap acuh tak acuh saya T.T

-----

Exam O&G dah tamat. Kami dah berusaha, mungkin tak sebaiknya, tapi sekarang ini terserah kepada Allah untuk menyempurnakan takdir kami ini. Mohon doakan kami semua lepas subjek ini dan summer nanti boleh la nak melaksanakan tanggungjawab masing2 tanpa perlu risaukan pasal exam.

Exam Paediatrics 12 hari lagi. Bye.

Love Captured

He was smiling at me and his whole face lit up with the beam of innocence. His eyes nearly crinkled and he was looking straight at me with that happy smile and a love-filled eyes.

The smile when the person in front of you was the one who made you the happiest, the person you loved the most. That alone was enough to make me drop everything and hug him right that instant and clobber him with kisses.

But there was more.

He was sitting on soft sand, wearing shorts and barefooted. Sand all over his legs. Playfully his right hand was up, calling for me. Urging me to come at him. Join him. Even better, pick him up and throw him up high.

An affectionate child. I would drop everything and tackle him right that instant. I would let my back fall on the sand and wrestle him for being so adorable.

I would if I could. It drove me mad because I couldn't. And I have nothing else as alternative, no babies nearby to hug.

It was just a picture. He was smiling at his parents perhaps, miles away from here. The genuine love was for the parents who loved him even before he was born and who raised him up. A pose captured on camera.

I am just a stranger looking, never the one to indulge.