Childhood memories.

This is my grandmother's kitchen. When I was young we would frequently have a kenduri (gathering) amongst the villagers in Beaufort (Kampung Klias Baru) either for a certain Islamic celebration (like Eid) or for the passing of a fellow villager or just to have a gathering for the sake of sillatulrahim . everyone in the family would gather at grandma's...the aunts and moms will prepare the food...the men and boys will be at the front...the kids will either be helping out in the kitchen , at the front playing before the feast is laid out to the guests and family, or at the front porch playing with each other...or all of the above in a non-sequential arrangement lol. I loved the atmosphere...everybody talking to each other, telling jokes and stories, keeping updates with everyone's lives...the lively scene and yet in such a simple, humble and traditional manner...enjoying the scent of the food cooking and cooking it together...and then at last silently listening to prayers and Quran recitals by the Imam invited along with the lovely Zikir everyone will chant along to :) It brings such sweet nostalgic and longing feeling...how we will all gather together for our faith, our God and our ummah....but things have changed...time changes everything...lets just say I don't want to bring up what we're all going through now...we all still see each other but the bond we have now is not as strong as we had before.

I would give anything to turn back time.