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| That's me with fake hair and husband with flat hair. Wedding shot taken in Desaru, Malaysia, in 2005 |
At times, when I see my husband, a ray of sunlight seems to be emitting from his head as in this picture.
This sun ray - this RAY of HAPPINESS - lights up my world, instantly.
You see, sometimes when he reaches home, he'll parade around the house exhibiting a laissez-faire behaviour, together with a cheery and cheeky disposition, bantering and teasing whoever (me or son) is in his path.
Our son is fully entertained - parading after him, blushing and giggling at his silliness. For me, I can't deny that I'm really delighted to see him home. Then did I realise how much I miss him! And he insists that we're the only ones in the world to see this side of him. Otherwise, he looks serious and solemn.
Thing is, he always seems to be there for me in both my life's small (but notable) and big events. Like the sunrays, he's shining at me as if rooting for me - giving me warmth, security, and strength. And this post is a list to commemorate those moments and events, so that we can look back and have a smile.
1. My riding practical test - I failed this test thrice! And each time I retake the test, he just sat there and waited for 2-3 hours with a newspaper and several cups of tea. It's such a pleasing joy watching the minute him from a distance, as I took my tests in the circuit with trembling legs. Deep down, I know that he was rooting for me.
2. My final-year exams - All exams end at the same time and there'll be a massive student-jam on the campus. Buses will be jam-packed to the door and taxis will somehow cease to exist. Usually, my sweet husband will come and pick me up with the reason that he wants to see my after-exam reactions (which is either Yippie, I nailed it! or Oh s**t, this paper is a killer). He'll wait gingerly in his car looking out for me as I wouldn't know exactly where he parked and I usually submit my exam script before the stipulated time. He's done that for most of my exams.
3. The day he sent me off to the Middle East for a 4-month peace-keeping mission on a Navy vessel. He did something that totally stole my heart away! Together with my sister, he sent me off by 'following' my vessel, driving along the southern borders of Singapore from the eastern tip of Changi to the western tip of Tuas until my vessel disappeared. Isn't that romantic? My sister even told me that she saw tears streaming down his face (he was wearing sunglasses). Note: This is one of the reasons I marry him. One other being his bedsheets. Yes, really. It's just some common cotton sheets but I've never slept in such a comfortable one before and I was hooked till today, 10 years later! Told him about it back then but he just gave a feeble acknowledgement.
4. Once, we almost fell off a cliff in Cameron Highlands! We were venturing into the hilly roads on a car and when the roads got narrower and muddier, I insisted to continue moving upwards (that's the immature, wilful me). Halfway through, our car got stuck in a muddy puddle and couldn't move, both forwards and backwards. To make the situation worse, it was drizzling, the ground is getting softer, on our left is the high mountain wall less than a metre away and on our right is the edge of the cliff barely 2 metres away! If we want to turn back, we'll have to make a 10-point turn. We got off the car, went into the rain, and sized up the situation before we decided to find stones and logs to shove into the back of the wheels so that the car can get out of the mud. We tried to drive backwards but the car wouldn't move.
Luckily, a local man who came in the opposite direction driving a tractor came to help us. Hubby and the man then put larger stones behind the wheel. This time, I took over the wheel. As the two men try to push the car manually, I ramp the accelerator cautiously - if I'm too slow, the car won't move. But if I'm too fast, I may fly off the cliff with my car! At this time, I saw hubby grabbing the car by the side of a door with all his might and I thought, Isn't he supposed to push or pull the car instead of grabbing it?? Came to know later, he said he was pushing but at the same time, he held the car tightly so that if the car is really going to fall off the cliff, he would be able to hang on to it with ample time for me to escape out.
From that, two thoughts came to my mind. Firstly, did he think he was Hercules (?!) and had enough strength to hold on to a sedan car? Secondly, he had watched too much action-packed movies, thinking about me escaping and jumping off the car just before it falls off the cliff. Isn't he silly yet sweet? Haha! Of course, we managed to get the car going, did a many-point turn and went back safe and sound. But that was really scary! PS: A big thank you to the helpful man. God bless you!
5. He sold his beloved '1st wife', a large bike (BMW R1200C) and some insurance to get me through university.
6. He kissed me - even though I have just given birth and is fat, bloating, out of shape, and foul-smelling.
7. When I am sad, depressed, stressed, anxious, shocked, afraid, crying, grieving, angry, cranky, lost, successful, delighted, blissful, happy, joyous, excited, wilful, crazy or mellow, he seems to always be right there. Just right there at the same spot beside me. I wonder how he takes in all of my nonsense! He's such a poor thing. In fact, he seems to be singing a Jackson 5's number:
I'll be there,
I'll be there,
Just when you call,
I'll be there.
...I'll be there to comfort you,
Build my world of dreams around you,
I'm so glad that I found you
I'll be there with a love that's strong
I'll be your strength, I'll keep holding on -
(Yes I will, yes I will)
[PS: RIP Mr. MJ (1958-2009), I'll miss you forever]