Pitter Patter Falling Falling ....

It is raining outside. It has been raining last night and it is raining again this morning. Though it means that I can't yet bring out the laundry to dry outside and that I have to carefully balancing the umbrella so as not to get my daughter wet on her way to school while half of my shoulder pleads to have its share under the umbrella and many other activities stopped or postponed, I can't lie to my feelings that to a certain extend I secretly love it when it rains - of course when it is not in its raging, rampage manner which claims a lot of lives and belongings.

I love rain for many reasons :

(i) it reminds me of the Greatness of the Al-Mighty - a time of reflection;
(ii) it is a good time to snuggle in bed with a good book and a mug of hot chocolate;
(iii) it makes the air cooler and refreshing;
(iv) it makes the environment greener;
(v) somehow, when it rains, moods changes for the better - tamer, more controllable

When I was young, staying in the kampung, I always managed to "run away" from home when it rains. Knowing that my Mum will never allow me to go out, I make my escapes when she is performing Solat. I knew that I will get into trouble when I got back but maybe, if I time it correctly like coming back when she is performing another prayer or when one the neighbours is dropping by I can avoid the nagging or worst still the pinches. Hmmm... my Mum is very strict though - she is one of the few who does not believe in "all works and no play makes Jack (in this case, Jane) a dull boy". To her, I have to stay at home after school, doing my homework and revising my lessons until I go to sleep only stopping for prayers and makan - no social activities except when she dragged me along for her party meet at the Balai Raya.

Once out of the house I ran and ran (in the rain) to the small river not far from my house. And here, in the rain, I became all that I want to be - I am the Captain of a big ship, I am a successful fish merchant, I am a part of Swiss Family Robinson- the prospect is wide and large; but most of the time, just to watch my paper ships travelled down the river. It was here that I started having ideas that I want to go see as much of the world. I dreamt of travels, I kept wondering of other people's way of life and so far, I considered myself lucky.

(Oh yes, if you are wondering of the missing link between me, a kampung girl and my readings - my Dad was a Religious Teacher (he taught at Kajang High School, Kolej Pertanian (now UPM) & last at Sek Keb Agama Dusun Tua) and my Mum gives great importance on educations - though they have their limitations, they make sure that books and more books are available for their children. I am lucky that I started reading at an early age - thanks to my Mum, late Dad and my older siblings - through them I became bilingual early)

Rain brings a lot of memories to me; days when I reached home cold, dripping wet, my school uniform completely drenched, my Mum will immediately asked me to take it off and quickly wash it and hang it to dry close to the stove. Those were the times when we were hit quite badly, when there is only two uniforms - one pinafore and one pair of baju kurung and at that time, for reasons which I do not understand, baju kurung is reserved for Friday; days when I braved myself through the rain in the wee hours of the morning to get the bus to go to school - my school is in town which is about 15 miles away from home; days when my cousin & I were trapped in the rain during our bicycle ride to the nearest town about 3 miles away - sometimes with purpose, sometimes just for the joy of riding - and of course without my Mum's knowledge.

Hmmm... I miss those moments and to re-live it, let me just enjoy the pitter patter of my good friend - the rain.