My late father had travelled across an ocean from China to marry
my mother in Malaysia. She is a local lady.
As such, I am a product of a migrant from Main Land China and a
local lady. Both are illiterate. Luckily, 4 out of my 6 siblings are university
graduates, that made both our parents very proud.
Despite our early and tough struggle, we were given
lots of freedom. Our parents never check our school homework but somehow we realised, recognised and valued the importance of an education.
My mother's famous quote is "born in beggar's faith, but
possess emperor's heart", when I tried very hard to pursue further studies
especially when I quit my job with late Professor, Yap Han Heng to do my Form 6
on self sustaining basis.
How will you feel when someone has been using the method
you taught her many years ago ? The one person who has benefited
for so many years from my advice, out of one unpleasant incident is my
mother. Applause.
Look at the photo above, the date torn from a
calendar that was glued to the gas cylinder may not trigger anything for
you. However it reminded me of this sweet memorable event that as a young
boy , who ran out of patience,
told my mother this idea.
It happened when I heard her voice vividly
asking me repeatedly to buy one item after another from the sundry shop, a
walking distance from our low cost flat, while she was preparing our meals.
At that time, I was in my last few hours
preparing for my examination. I was summoned by her when she discovered that
she ran out of cooking oil. She has to shout repeatedly because
I concentrated on my study despite our flat is as big as pigeon hole.
I had no other choice, but to set aside
everything I was doing. I rushed to get the cooking oil back. However, upon return and just about ready to begin my
revision.
She called me again and without much
hesitation I immediate answered her. She told me to get onions for her as she
just discovered that she ran out of stock.
I had to put everything aside and rush to the
shop again to buy for her.
After my second return but before I warm up my
seat, I was called again, this time she wanted me to get her another
item. I was a bit annoyed, and told her to list down all items she need in a
list, without any diplomatic tone. She replied with a strong reason that she
couldn't do so because she is illiterate.
Instantly, I brush aside her reason and
counter attack her to either draw it down or paste the picture on a piece of
paper so as to remind her.
After many years I left my house to pursue my
higher studies in Selangor, I still see her practicing till today and the
impact I left on my love ones.
What really made me happy was to see
someone I love benefiting from my creative way of doing thing to improve her
lifestyle despite she had always given excuses of being too old to learn.
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