I wanted to post about this last week when the event took place, but I came home too tired and exhausted. I thought I could find time to blog about it over the weekend, but, I ended up having a very hectic weekend what with my hubby being outstation on Sunday, I went for a demo of the Bernina 830 at Sakura on Saturday (yup! I did! But, I will blog about that later) and attending my Epal class.
Now that my hubby is back, he has taken off some of the load from me of seeing to my son's needs, that I can now find time to sit in front of the PC to concentrate to do some writing.
Anyway, what I wanted to tell here is that, on Thursday, 15th July, I attended a project meeting where present in the meeting, among others, was Tuan Haji Hajeedar Haji Abdul Majid, who, among the architectural fraternity, is very well known and admired for his works.
My late dad use to talk about him a lot, and he once said to me that he would like it very much if I could someday be as successful as him. My dad and Hajeedar, or, shall I call him Uncle Hajeedar? *wink* were good friends, so I was told. My late dad was teaching law, and Hajeedar, an architect, yet, they shared a lot in common.
One of the common factor was my dad's love for architecture. He had always wanted to be an architect, but, he had several times told us that his grades in art was not good enough to get him into architecture. So, when I made it to study architecture, and graduated soon after that, to my dad, his dream had been realised, eventhough not directly, but through his daughter.
I don't remember ever meeting Hajeedar when my dad was still alive. I think we never had the opportunity to meet.
I have very high respect for Tuan Haji Hajeedar, and to have him present in the same meeting I attended was almost like a child meeting someone of power and highly respected. I got excited! Alas, he sat towards the end of the meeting room, and he spoke very little, allowing his Architect to do most of the talking throughout the meeting.
However, after the meeting was over, we had a small discussion to discuss the details of the project. Hajeedar joined us and put forth his opinion, and agreed with me on some points. I was like going, "Wow! This man I admire is actually listening to me! Not only that, he agrees with me on some points! Am I dreaming?" Quick! Pinch me! LOL!
When the discussion was over, and everyone started to leave, Hajeedar came closer to me and in a low tone, almost in whispers, said to me that he knows my dad well, and that he admires my dad's work. He had a lot of good things to say about my dad.
I was caught surprised as I did not think he knows who I am as we were never formally introduced as he joined the meeting when it was already midway through. Another thing that I was caught surprised was that he actually still remembers my dad even after all these years (my dad passed away in 1996), and remembers my dad with fondness.
But, what was even more surprising was what he said after we exchanged news about my dad, my dad's sudden passing and he asked about my mum (yes, Ma, he asked about you and wondered if you remembered him). He said that when he heard that I am the Project Manager for the project that we were discussing, he told his Architect that he had to come to the meeting, at least once, to say "Hi" to me, and to tell me what a great man my dad was.
It touched my heart, and I feel so honoured that this great man who I have admired and looked up to for inspiration eversince I got involved in architecture actually took the time to attend my meeting, just so that he can say "Hi' to me and to tell me that he still remembers my dad as a great man.
My heart sings. I feel humbled and honoured. It will be marked in my calendar as the day a great man took time to listen to me, and remembers my dad as another great man.
I am blessed.
Now that my hubby is back, he has taken off some of the load from me of seeing to my son's needs, that I can now find time to sit in front of the PC to concentrate to do some writing.
Anyway, what I wanted to tell here is that, on Thursday, 15th July, I attended a project meeting where present in the meeting, among others, was Tuan Haji Hajeedar Haji Abdul Majid, who, among the architectural fraternity, is very well known and admired for his works.
My late dad use to talk about him a lot, and he once said to me that he would like it very much if I could someday be as successful as him. My dad and Hajeedar, or, shall I call him Uncle Hajeedar? *wink* were good friends, so I was told. My late dad was teaching law, and Hajeedar, an architect, yet, they shared a lot in common.
One of the common factor was my dad's love for architecture. He had always wanted to be an architect, but, he had several times told us that his grades in art was not good enough to get him into architecture. So, when I made it to study architecture, and graduated soon after that, to my dad, his dream had been realised, eventhough not directly, but through his daughter.
I don't remember ever meeting Hajeedar when my dad was still alive. I think we never had the opportunity to meet.
I have very high respect for Tuan Haji Hajeedar, and to have him present in the same meeting I attended was almost like a child meeting someone of power and highly respected. I got excited! Alas, he sat towards the end of the meeting room, and he spoke very little, allowing his Architect to do most of the talking throughout the meeting.
However, after the meeting was over, we had a small discussion to discuss the details of the project. Hajeedar joined us and put forth his opinion, and agreed with me on some points. I was like going, "Wow! This man I admire is actually listening to me! Not only that, he agrees with me on some points! Am I dreaming?" Quick! Pinch me! LOL!
When the discussion was over, and everyone started to leave, Hajeedar came closer to me and in a low tone, almost in whispers, said to me that he knows my dad well, and that he admires my dad's work. He had a lot of good things to say about my dad.
I was caught surprised as I did not think he knows who I am as we were never formally introduced as he joined the meeting when it was already midway through. Another thing that I was caught surprised was that he actually still remembers my dad even after all these years (my dad passed away in 1996), and remembers my dad with fondness.
But, what was even more surprising was what he said after we exchanged news about my dad, my dad's sudden passing and he asked about my mum (yes, Ma, he asked about you and wondered if you remembered him). He said that when he heard that I am the Project Manager for the project that we were discussing, he told his Architect that he had to come to the meeting, at least once, to say "Hi" to me, and to tell me what a great man my dad was.
It touched my heart, and I feel so honoured that this great man who I have admired and looked up to for inspiration eversince I got involved in architecture actually took the time to attend my meeting, just so that he can say "Hi' to me and to tell me that he still remembers my dad as a great man.
My heart sings. I feel humbled and honoured. It will be marked in my calendar as the day a great man took time to listen to me, and remembers my dad as another great man.
I am blessed.
3 comments:
Nik,
I am touched too by the story. Your dad, in his death, still lives on! He's a great man.
Thanks, Sabariah!
Hugs!
Ba was indeed fondly remembered by everyone who knew him. Recently when I was in U.S I met a few of his former ITM students. They were almost ecstatic when they knew I was Ba's wife and Nikai is Ba's son. May Allah Bless his soul.Al-Fatihah for Ba.
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