Thursday, April 26, 2007

23 years on...


I don’t think any of my family members (or even Ayah’s, for that matter) knew the exact story behind how Ayah and I first got to know each other - which is rather strange, since I’m pretty sure that all of our closest friends are ever so familiar with our “love story” – a love story fit to be an epic Hindustani movie, somebody once remarked! ( I don’t know about that!!) A story which (fortunately!) I will not go into here because it would be like “Hikayat 1001 Malam”!

Suffice to say that it was on this day 23 years ago that I first got to know Ayah. It was on this day 23 years ago that I received the first of the hundreds of letters Ayah would be writing to me over the years. It was on this day 23 years ago that I received Ayah’s letter written to me (and as fate has it) through a mistaken identity! ( I don’t think I have ever thanked Y and her sister enough for unintentionally orchestrating that mistaken identity! Thank you guys…for then, and even more so – for what it is now). It was on this day 23 years ago a friendship between a boy in KK and a girl in JB blossomed - a friendship which evolved into love, trust and eventually, syukur alhamdulillah, a blissful marriage.

23 years ago today, when I received Ayah’s FIRST letter, never did I imagine that I would end up marrying him. Call it strange, or even ridiculous, but going into his FIFTH or SIXTH letter that he wrote to me, even though the content was far from being amorous then, I somehow knew that HE was the one for me…I just could not explain it…I just knew.

Ayah would number ALL the letters and messages that he wrote to me, and they went into the hundreds as the ritual continued after we left high school - throughout “KPP”, “A” Levels, University days and beyond! I can still remember our ever faithful friends who became our “Royal Mail personnel”, especially in KPP. They would bring messages to and fro, between Ayah and me, be it day or night! These friends have stood by us through thick and thin and we have been the staunchest of friends even until today. To them I also would like to say, “Thank you, guys!!!” (You know who you are!).

Ayah and I got married 10 years, 4 months and 15 days AFTER that FIRST letter, and even after I have become his lawfully wedded wife, Ayah would still write letters to me whenever we were apart….and yes, he would still number them.

Somehow over the years, throughout the hustle and bustle of family life and work commitments, the letters became scarce…They became few, and far between….and eventually, whenever we would be apart from each other, our love-line would only be the phone calls and the e-mails. And IF Ayah were to have his way and continued to number them, these would also go into the hundreds or even thousands, I’m sure!

I’d love to think that being such a romantic that he is, amongst all of the sweetest things that Ayah has ever done, the numbering of his love letters to me would always be the one that I would always cherish and remember fondly. Just thinking about it brings goose bumps all over me…Just thinking about it makes me feel like a 16 year old again!

I used to think that I could not survive the day, and that I could not live without those numbered love letters from him. While waiting for his next letter to come, I would read, and read, and read all his letters, over and over again – chronologically!

BUT, that was then. This is now.

23 years on, today I want him to know that I can now live without his numbered love letters so, so easily…

For I have come to realize that I did not marry him because of the numbered love letters…I married him because of HIM…the whole of his being…

It is true of the saying that you don’t marry someone you can live with. You marry the person whom you cannot live without…

And I married him, 10 years 4 months and 15 days after that FIRST letter which I received 23 years ago today, because I could not, and cannot live without HIM, without the whole of his being…

So, today - 23 years on, I would like to say these to my dearest hubby –

Thank you for the best years of my life…Thank you for being you…Thank you for letting me be me…Thank you for the good times – for they made our love strong…Thank you for the bad times – for they made us stronger…

HAPPY 23rd ANNIVERSARY, my darling Ayah…

Wassalam…


….To those who are looking for love out there, wherever you are…Just believe. Love will overwhelm you with a whole myriad of emotions. And IF your love is fated to last, then it will last….And when you find love, be thankful that you have that privilege of basking in the glory of the most glorious love…because all love are the most glorious love…even if it doesn't last... Just treasure the moments...

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

My darling wife...

When I wrote that 1st letter 23 years, 273 moons, 1196 weeks..and God knows how many days ago, little did I know that I would eventually share my life with u. Yes, the start of what was initially a 'mistake', became the greatest romance in modern day history (Bill Shakepeare would have scrapped R & J if he were still around today! Hehehe...).

Come to think of it and those hundreds of messages that we wrote, we would easily have surpassed Hanna's 2600+ smses (last month punye Maxis bill..averaging almost 100 sms/day!!!) had we got mobile phones during that Jurassic era!

From then on we went thru' a roller-coaster ride of what were mostly happy and wonderful experiences. We are blessed with 3 angels...and the rest is history...

Thank u for making that 'mistake' of accepting my 'mistake' that day 23 years ago. I guess 2 wrongs did make a right...(smile).

I've had the most beautiful 23 years of my life...and I hope the remaining years will be as lovely and blessed.

Happy Anniversary, darling...

Forever yours

wanshana said...

sniffs*...sniffs*...

(vision blurred, heart swelling, skin tingling...and feeling very warm all over...and it is NOT because of the glorious weather outside...)

Forever yours, too...

Anonymous said...

Hello Mommy (again!)..

Hmm.. You can still remember 23 years ago?! I wasn't even born then =DD This bloggy is for Ayah & u.. N it's not my fault I sms 100x a day! (Fine, it is..) Maybe should just change to prepaid!! Good ol' days.. I don't know how much I'm spending lahh!! Haha, well okay then.. Ayah is getting impatient (I think) cause we have to get back to PJ - Still very bucuk!! Lol, okay.. Bye, Love u! Miss u!! ((((((((((HUGS))))))))))

HANNA SUHAILA BINTI HAIZAL
Born on the 17th November 1995
1st daughter of Wan Sharina Ramlah and Haizal Haron Kamar
Person who's thinking of ways to get to top three!! WaAaAaRrRrRgGgGhHhH!!


Ohh, and HAPPY FIRST DAY MEETING WITH AYAH 23 YEARS AGO ANNIVERSARY!!

wanshana said...

Dearest Hanna,

Thank you, darling!

OF COURSE you were not yet born then!

And, it was not the first time I MET your Ayah - it was the first time I GOT TO KNOW him through his first letter to me.

And, IT IS your fault for exceeding your phonebill limit - hence the cut down on your daily allowances! (You just have to learn to take responsibilities for your actions, dear...)

And Hanna dear, DON'T THINK about how to get Top Three...JUST DO IT!

Mommy Love You!

IBU said...

Shana,

Happy Anniversary!!! Masih ku ingat la part time job jadi post-girl dolu-dolu. Hahaha....

Alhamdulillah and wish you everlasting happiness, insyaAllah.

Hugs,
Ibu

p/s Itu gambar Tuan Doktor kan... memang gegar-gegar ke OR my eyes yang dah kabur? Waaa... sudah pandai crop segala.

wanshana said...

Dear Ibu,

Thanks so much!

Memang you banyak berjasa... Birthday I nanti I bagi you pingat "TPMC" - Tukang Pos Message Cemerlang...

Errr...mana ada kabur itu gambar Tuan Doktor?!! You kena buat lasik lagi satu round kot?!

Hahaha...No lah...Hanna was the one who took all kind of pics of her dad and adek-adek using all sorts of effects tu...

I nak crop segala?! Don't hold your breath...

Thanks again, and wishing you and "S" everlasting happiness, too, Insya Allah...Aamin.

JoeBangla said...

Happy Anniversary and thanks for visiting. Kalau ada masa tuh, pergi2 lah South Shields, ada a few Malay sailors kat sana, kesian diaorang tak ada family

JoeBangla said...

oh sorry, ingatkan salah post tadi, rupanya kena ada approval dulu. bye.salam

wanshana said...

Dear JoePerantau,

Thank you for dropping by!

And thank you for the wishes.

Yep! I have bumped into some of the Malay sailors studying at South Tyneside College - normally on the Metro and also at my friends' place in South Shields when they all buat makan-makan.

My friends memang seronok kalau ajak dioghang for a meal - berbaloi masak beriya! Winks*

Kerja elok-elok kat Launderette si Daniel tu, eh?

P/S - I pun tak der family kat sini...Eherks...

Anonymous said...

my oh my... that is just so sweet.. happy anniversary..

wanshana said...

Dear Kyora,

Thank you!

I visited your blog - I think we are the same : we blog to keep us sane (while working our brains out for another scroll, eh?)

All the best with the crabs! (Errr...do you have a name for each and every one of them?!!! I hope NOT!)

Take care di negeri orang...

Anonymous said...

Dear Sis Wansha,

Thanks for visiting mine. :) I'm really flattered! For the craps I write, there's someone out there who loves them!

Dengan ini pihak berkuasa mengizinkan saudari untuk menghubung kaitkan blog saya. :)

wanshana said...

Dear Nano Nano,

Thanks!

Maka saya, dengan rasa besar hatinya, dengan ini merasmikan 'penghubungkaitan' blog saya dengan blog anda bermula dari hari ini...

Snip snip! (Siap potong reben...)

Sue said...

To Shana & Hubby....

Hepi Anniversary....seems like ramai blogger yg sambut anniversary....mine coming soon also hehehe
May you join your family soonest and embrace all the love and happiness all of you been yearning for sejak kebelakangan ni *hugz*

wanshana said...

Dear Minah Celoteh,

Thank you for the good wishes...Aamin...Insya Allah.

Yep! Can't wait to be back home... Sakit jiwer kat sini...Hehehe!

Your anniversary nanti, boleh masak best-best for your hubby (including the asam pedas ekor!winks*)and then you post la gambar-gambar masakan you yang amatlah "menggiurkan" dan melelehkan air liur itu at your blog...Hahaha!

Take care.

NURAINA A SAMAD said...

happy anniversary, wanshana

how lovely.. and after all these years, the love is still blazing..and the fire is still burning.

here's hoping for another blessed 23 years.. and more! ke cucu-cicit!

(sigh.... to love and be loved that way...)

wanshana said...

Dear Kak Ena (hope you don't mind me calling you "Kak Ena"?)

Thank you for visiting my blog - I'm truly honoured and flattered (which is a huge understatement!)

And thank you for the good wishes. Aamin...Insya Allah.

Formerly known as Superwomanwannabe! said...

This is soooo romantic!! Haizal, please teach Jab!!

wanshana said...

Shila,

Bisa diatur! Haizal charges ikut his cardio consulatation and procedure scale kat UMSC...Hahaha!

Take care.