Days of deprivation....

It's nearly 7 pm...just woke up after a long siesta...i received a message from one of my mates...i didn't like what he text me...it sounded something like this..." hey bro, have you done Mr Jaferi's assignment? "...and there i was thinking that i have done everything! I have exactly 5 hours until dateline.Come on Andy...Get your acts together.I knew i am going to have a hard time doing this as i didn't read that much when i was a child or a teenager.My dad and brother had gone to Perlis for a friends wedding and my eldest brother went back to his home.So i have the house all to myself.Its hard for me to concentrate on ideas when everyone's calling me for some reason.I was the 'concierge ' of the house.Mom would ask me where everything was.Some sort of like a walking directory.Anyway, back to my days of deprivation of books..well i have nothing against books.I just wasn't really interested in reading back then i guess.I was more a visual guy in the sense that i love looking at pictures and drawings.I love art.Reading is an art but not the art i was acquiring at that time.Anyway, a picture paints a thousand words.That's how i interpreted the story,the words behind the art that i have seen.

Although i didn't like reading, somehow rather my English grades were satisfactory almost all the time.I remember like it was yesterday, none of my English teachers have that passion to instill in their students the love for reading.It was like reading is something that you must do for the purpose of learning.But there was no motivation, no passion.I didn't see eye to eye with my teachers.I was always the silent one in school.I was extremely shy.I was afraid of what will happen if i were to open my mouth and ask questions.I guess i was at the wrong time and the wrong class.However, it didn't stop me from loving the language.I needed emotional guidance.But my shyness prevented me from telling.

I developed the interest for reading when i was 14...yes 14 it is.It was about to rain heavily outside.Mom went out to pick up the clothes.There i was wandering in and out of the room.I went into my parents room and was just walking and wandering as i was bored to death.I came across a shelf that my dad had installed the day before.There was a bunch of books neatly stored on it.A book caught my attention.It was a biography of our beloved Tun Dr Mahathir written by Mr Morais.Couldn't remember his full name.I know this sounds weird especially for a 14 year old reading a biography.It wasn't a political influence that made me want to read it.It was more about reading about a famous person's life story.Every word, every picture captured my attention.I have always admire Tun as he is an articulate, firm, and listens to the plight of Malaysians and puts Malaysia on the world map.It seems that Tun had a very fierce looking father and he was a teacher.I can see where Tun got his leadership qualities.Its in the blood.Last year in KLCC, the most bizarre thing happened.I was in Kinokuniya browsing through books and suddenly came in an entourage.One prominent figure stood out.It was him, the man himself.People started noticing and was eager to meet and shake hands with him.I stood at one corner and was in awe...and went straight to him and shook his hands..he smiled.That was good enough for me.Till this day, i still admire Tun and hope that he is still the Prime Minister.He is our savior.The book gave me a different perspective towards life and how one's hard work could influence and inspire others.The book was officially given to me by my dad and is in my possession.

The book inspire me to read more of the same genre.I began to develope a very high interest in true accounts, biographies, memoir's, and real life stories.There are too many too mention here but please, let me tell you of a book that i really..really love enjoy reading over and over again.This wasnt an early reading but more towards my young adult period.The title of the book is 'I AM MUSLIM' by Dina Zaman.I think Dina is an amazing writer.Her article about being a muslim in Malaysia has captured the difference aspects of religious life and the realities of it as seen and lived by Muslims themselves.There were many contradictions regarding the religion in todays society and the rapid changing of media and politics that has dictated the meaning of being a muslim in Malaysia.I am always intrigued by how we Muslims are living our lives with modernization and how it changes the way we see things through a Muslim's perspective.For instance, the muslim women in Malaysia are wearing veil or 'tudung' but her clothing are so body fitting that it highlights every inch of curves and assets of their body.This is not the princip of how a Muslim women should wear her clothes.

I know i maybe a bit different then other kids or teenagers as i didn't do the normal things that a teenager or a child would normally do.Other than the fact that i don't really read fiction, i have to change my mindset and start opening to other genre's...fiction to me is fake because it is created.But you might never know what the future has installed for you.I'm starting to read some fiction books but on a lighter scale..this is going to be challenging...we'll see what happens.