I received this story from my colleague in Finance department of this Second largest LNG Plant Complex in Bintulu this morning. I was really touched and in fact tears showered my humble eyes, hence motivated me to share it in my blog as part of story of my life. It reminds me about my lovely mom who passed away in December 1976, when I was eleven (11) years old. After my late father passed away sometimes in 1974, she has to shoulder the burden and take the bread-winner’s responsibilities to ensure among others, we were well educated. Alhamdullillah, praises only to Allah swt....Thank you Mom, I missed you so much. How I which you are still around to see what we are now? May you always under Allah’s Blessings, Grace and Mercy.
To my kids, nieces, nephews, and all the children of the world, please be reminded that, the real success of our life is purely base on your academic achievement but rather your attitude and aptitude towards ‘why we exist’ in this world. To top it all, it is fundamentally based on how we obey Allah and His Rasuls’ rules; how we respect our father and appreciate the kindness of mothers’ sacrifice.
To my lovely wife Nana; zillions of thanks for your support and hard work in managing and ensuring the kids got whatever they are supposed to get. I know it is not easy to become my wife though, but InsyaAllah, one day you will be paid with a good harvest by Allah Rabbul Jalil.
To cut that intro short, here the story goes:
One young academically excellent person went to apply for a managerial position in a big company. He passed the first interview; the director did the last interview, made the last decision. The director discovered from the CV that the youth's academic achievements were excellent all the way, from the secondary school until the postgraduate research, never had a year when he did not score.
The director asked, "Did you obtain any scholarships in school?"
The youth answered "none".
The director asked, "Was it your father who paid for your school fees?"
The youth answered, "My father passed away when I was one year old, it was my mother who paid for my school fees.
The director asked, "Where did your mother work?"
The youth answered, "My mother worked as clothes cleaner.
The director requested the youth to show his hands. The youth showed a pair of hands that were smooth and perfect. The director asked, "Have you ever helped your mother wash the clothes before?"
The youth answered, "Never, my mother always wanted me to study and read more books. Furthermore, my mother can wash clothes faster than me.
The director said, "I have a request. When you go back today, go and clean your mother's hands, and then see me tomorrow morning.
The youth felt that his chance of landing the job was high.
When he went back, he happily requested his mother to let him clean her hands. His mother felt strange, happy but with mixed feelings, she showed her hands to the kid. The youth cleaned his mother's hands slowly.
His tear fell as he did that. It was the first time he noticed that his mother's hands were so wrinkled, and there were so many bruises in her hands. Some bruises were so painful that his mother shivered when they were cleaned with water.
This was the first time the youth realized that it was this pair of hands that washed the clothes everyday to enable him to pay the school fee. The bruises in the mother's hands were the price that the mother had to pay for his graduation, academic excellence and his future.
After finishing the cleaning of his mother hands, the youth quietly washed all the remaining clothes for his mother.
That night, mother and son talked for a very long time.
Next morning, the youth went to the director's office.
The Director noticed the tears in the youth's eyes, asked: "Can you tell me what have you done and learned yesterday in your house?"
The youth answered, "I cleaned my mother's hand, and also finished cleaning all the remaining clothes"
The Director asked, "Please tell me your feelings."
The youth said,
1] I know now what appreciation is. Without my mother, there would not the successful me today
2] by working together and helping my mother, only I now realize how difficult and tough it is to get something done.
3] I have come to appreciate the importance and value of family relationship.
The director said, "This is what I am looking for to be my manager. I want to recruit a person who can appreciate the help of others, a person who knows the sufferings of others to get things done, and a person who would not put money as his only goal in life. You are hired."
Later on, this young person worked very hard, and received the respect of his subordinates. Every employee worked diligently and as a team. The company's performance improved tremendously.
A child, who has been protected and habitually given whatever he wanted, would develop "entitlement mentality" and would always put himself first. He would be ignorant of his parent's efforts. When he starts work, he assumes that every person must listen to him, and when he becomes a manager, he would never know the sufferings of his employees and would always blame others. For this kind of people, who may be good academically, may be successful for a while, but eventually would not feel sense of achievement. He will grumble and be full of hatred and fight for more. If we are this kind of protective parents, are we really showing love or are we destroying the kid instead?
You can let your kid live in a big house, eat a good meal, learn piano, watch a big screen TV. But when you are cutting grass, please let them experience it. After a meal, let them wash their plates and bowls together with their brothers and sisters. It is not because you do not have money to hire a maid, but it is because you want to love them in a right way.
You want them to understand, no matter how rich their parents are, one day their hair will grow gray, same as the mother of that young person.
The most important thing is your kid learns how to appreciate the effort and experience the difficulty and learns the ability to work with others to get things done.
She turns 10 today. Ushering her mood to the joyous point, we’d ‘thrown a small gathering at her Aunties’ café & bakery – d TwinzBites, Permyjaya, Miri. It was not really a birthday party (because we do not celebrate birthday) but rather an evening tea with Afiqah.
With few of her good friends, cousins and even nephews:: Muslim: Cindra: Izyan: Fauziah: Faliq: CT: Ojan: Farah: M Fahmi happily cheered her day. Happy birthday Afiqah.
Her greatest Aunt and Uncle who sponsored us Chicken, Beef and Lamb Sate that have made our evening tea more elaborated. The ‘lemang’ – glutinous rice cooked with coconut milk inside a bamboo stick was nice. The birthday cake (above photo) was none other produced by the TwinzBites
May Allah swt bless you with His Grace and Mercy. He is the most Gracious, Compasionate and Merciful. 
