My Kampung Friend And I

My Kampung Friend And I

Driving on the way sending my daughter to school, I remember my childhood friend who had difficulties in his study until he dropped out of school. Nevertheless, he is now a happy kampong man with his family living a simple life. Whenever I go back to my kampong, we meet, he will admire me. His old Yamaha motorcycle (may be no road tax), his rags like clothing and his faint sincere smile.. I envy his life. No pride, no show off, nothing, just sincerity.To my friend, I am successful. I thought I am successful. I seemed successful. May be I am successful. That is only a preception.But the difference is that whatever he has is his, mine not. I got high blood pressure and floppy soft muscles. He is a strong healthy, muscular man. No pressure, no high blood, nothing. He is a healthy man. He is really enjoying life.I looked at my daughter sitting on my left in the car. She is like that friend of mine, a slow learner. She is handicapped, suffering from dystonia. At the age of ten, she is still learning, struggling how to spell words.I am consoled somewhat, remembering my friend. He was a school dropout no doubt, but he is living life. A life free from debts and worries. A life of little wants.I whisper to my daughter in my mind, “ life is not about successes or wealth or anything. Life is about living life, a happy life, with or without money, like my friend not like me”.


KAWAN KAMPUNGKU

Kawan kampungku
Permulaan kita sama
Di desa

Kawan kampungku
Aku kini entah di mana
Engkau masih di sana
Di desa

Kawan kampungku
Kucemburui kemiskinanmu
Kau kagumi kekayaanku
Kita dipisahkan ilmu

Kawan kampungku
Kemiskinanmu tidak menyeksamu
Kekayaanku membuat kuterbelenggu
Dunggu

Betul kata mereka
Rupa ada, wang tiada
Tetapi dikatakan kaya
Sebenarnya hanya pada rupa

Kawan kampungku
Kita akan bersama sama semula
Di desa
Semasa di pusara.