Beautifully Imperfect

'Funeral' TV commercial commissioned by the then Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS), developed by Leo Burnett Singapore and shot by the late Yasmin Ahmad via Dragonsgate Studio. ****************************** I came across an old blog post while privatizing one of my old blogs, and it was about this TV commercial which came out for a campaign sometime in 2009.
Have you guys seen this commercial?  Because I did, and I don't think I can ever gush enough over how much of a profound impact this TV commercial had on me. What a wonderful TV commercial it must be to have deeply affected me, who was then 22, single, and might not have fully understood how it must feel to lose a husband of many years! Unsurprisingly, now that I'm almost 30 and already married, this commercial has become much more meaningful for me. A few nights ago, Saliheen told me he'll be away for a work conference in KL on our very first wedding anniversary.

Naturally, I was bummed and kept whining like the clingy wife that I sometimes am: Why our wedding anniversary weekend of all weekends, I whined, it's our FIRST wedding anniversary! It won't be the same as when we celebrate our second or third or twenty fourth anniversary, you know!

I think the whining lasted for about a few minutes before I stopped myself short because a thought flashed across my mind - it was as if He wanted to remind me to be grateful and realize how incredibly lucky I am.

Yes, Saliheen may be away for work during our first wedding anniversary.

But at least I can still hope and pray that I will still have my husband by my side after our first wedding anniversary to have a belated celebration.

Why am I complaining when I should be telling myself how much luckier I am than my friend's wife, who does not even have this privilege, because he passed away last weekend, 3 and a half months short of their first wedding anniversary?

Why am I complaining when I still have my husband by my side while she has to go through the devastating aftermath of her husband getting admitted for high fever and then passing away five days later?

Life can be so fleeting, and yet manusia like me susah sangat nak bersyukur dengan apa yang kita ada.

Yesterday, Saliheen decided to book the earliest possible flight out back to Singapore after his work conference so we can still go for a nice albeit late dinner to celebrate our first wedding anniversary.  I was very happy to know that, of course, but above anything else, I just wanted to let him know that all he needs to do is to be back home safe and sound, and that even if we let the day pass with him snoring away his exhaustion, it'll be the best first wedding anniversary I will ever have.  To the wife, family and friends of the recently departed Muhammad Nurussobah, I wish you strength and solace in this time of great grief and may he be placed amongst the pious, insya Allah. الَّذِينَ إِذَا أَصَابَتْهُم مُّصِيبَةٌ قَالُوا إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ
“Who say, when afflicted with calamity: “To Allah We belong, and to Him is our return”. (2:156)