Hariraya and the Disabled

Whilst there can be a lot of happy memories about hariraya, they may not be as touching, sobering and edifying as the sad ones. On the 3rd morning of hariraya, I drove out alone to visit the old kampung house that my late parents left us with. It has been vacant for a few years since everyone has moved to the towns or cities. It was almost swallowed up by the 'lalangs' and 'belukar' when I decided to take it on myself to rehabilitate the place.. Since then I always go there alone or with company when I feel low and out, to catch up on old memories.

I squeezed out all the calories I've absorbed in the 2 days of hariraya, clearing up the compound, repairing the broken drains, cutting the grass and collecting the stuff that stray cows left behind when they visit your house in the kampung, and dumping it at the roots of starving fruit plants i've planted earlier. I was dozing off in an old favourite chair under a rambutan tree, riding on the wings of a nastalgic revirie, when a car stopped by and my brother Zainal, his wife and kids stepped out of the vehicle. They were on their way to visit our sister when they spotted me sitting alone by the lonesome house. Instead of going straight on and perhaps visiting me at my in-laws house later, they decided to join me at work.

Masyaallah. It was wonderful to see the kids pulling and pushing the lawn mower, swinging the heavy rubbish blower or raking the dead leaves strewn on the ground, in their colourful hariraya outfit. Zainal also joined them until he had to take off his baju to avoid getting it drenched with his sweat. The wife Rosie and daughter went into the house to prepare some drinks and food which i had by chance bought and brought along with me. We had roti canai, mee goreng and some bottled drinks. It was a wonderful little makan, though I insisted that they come to my in-law's house for the real hariraya bash. They did join us for lunch together with some other guests.

Today, September 23rd, my wife and I left the house at 9.30 am to return to KL, but only after doing a round of visits. At the house of my wife's relative, we found her auntie's mother lying helpless in bed, unable to walk or move about to bathe or ease herself. She was very frail and weak. I had got to know her well and as I sat near her I began to give a little massage at various points of the joints. She felt very comfortable after a few burbs and tacitly requested me to give her a little more of what I seemed to be doing well. What do you know? I became a masseur on a hariraya visit! I left her sitting up though propped against the wall but with her legs drawn up to exercise her feet and toes by pressing down and lifting them up from the floor. If she can gain some strength I think she'll walk again.

At another house a 21 year old girl ( a distant nieice of my wife) was lying on the sofa, unable to walk as a result of a motorcycle accident. She had recovered fully from her injuries but could not walk well and recently had taken a fall. Since then she did not want to walk again. After talking a while to her and testing the strength of her feet and hands by asking her to press them hard against my palm, I felt sure that her neuro-mascular problem was more psychosomatic than physiological.She was dreadful of falling down again for the last fall was very traumatic. Except for a few lapses in her cognitive consciousness ( she closes her eyes and seems to fall asleep a few seconds after a few minutes of talking), she seems to be quite all right and certainly has enough energy to walk.

So I coaxed her to say and repeat to herself, 'I can walk' and 'I will walk again.' She said the words enthusiastically and kept repeating them to herself. I challenged her to believe in those words implicitly and she accepted the challenge. She was so grateful to me for implanting that believe in her and promised that she will turn that believe into a reality. By the smile of conviction in her face and the way she started to move and exercise her feet and hands, I'm certain that she will be able to walk again in a short while. Hey. this is the first time I put whatever I know about psychosomatic illnesses and psychic energy into practice. If it works ( I'll certainly check with Dr Norzah my psychologist sister and a few Medic friends on the matter) I'll have to start reading a huge pile of new books and manuals. God, I thought I've had enough of sleeping in the library!

Well, the hariraya is into its 5th day. After tomorrow I think I'll start the 6 day fasting (puasa enam). That means I'll have to attend a few gatherings without taking a bash at the succulents offered. My willpower will be severely tested. Huhu.