Neighbours... everybody needs good neighbours...

It’s good to be home, so good to wake up on your own bed despite the so called “heavenly bed”, the “warm you up” toilet seat and the jumbo shower head of a top class hotel. Talking about heavenly beds and jumbo shower heads, a friend said we must make full use of them. Having that in mind, I had the most number of showers in less than 12 hours.... 4 times! The bad thing was worrying about the Swine Flu, even after going through all the screening especially the infrared scanners mindful not to “urap any minyak panas”, any signs such as coughing and body aches caused you curious glances from people around knowing you have been to an affected (in our case two!) countries. Even checked my body temperature few times since I woke up.

Talking about health, as soon as we reached Brunei, we were greeted by the sad and shocking news about a very close friend in critical condition after what seemed to be a sudden heart attack. If this can happen to someone who to my knowledge is a very fit and healthy person, what about us who has been neglecting `our health? Sobering news indeed. I can only pray for his well being and full recovery. Amin....

Apart from health, family and friends are among the important things in our lives. I fondly remembers my childhood time at Kampong Aing where people are surrounded by extended family and friends. In fact the whole kampong knows each other. Despite sometimes having no blood relations, your neighbours were very close to you. It’s no longer like that now. Living in a perpindahan area, may be through my own fault, I hardly know any of my neighbours apart from the ones next to my house. Forget about names and jobs, their faces I also do not recognise. How I miss those days where you know all your neighbours.

Last night, I got an invitation from one of my neighbours. I was a bit hesitant to go not just because I was feeling tired after all the travelling; partly it was also because I did not know most of the people there. So there I was sitting in my neighbour’s living room among some of my neighbour’s, 90% of whom I did not know and recognise. Some of the conversation took my interest especially when a few of them started talking about the surrounding houses and their occupants. I had my ears on full radar mode waiting for them to say something about me and my house, praying they will not say anything about me. To me relief, I was spared from hearing anything about me! I told myself, from today onwards, I must make the extra effort to get to know these people more. After all they are my neighbours, the people who I will be living next to, the rest of my life.

Just like the lyrics to the TV soap Neighbours (my favourite TV soap in my student days) says....

Neighbours, everybody needs good neighbours,
Just a friendly wave each morning, helps to make a better day.
Neighbours, need to get to know each other, next day is only a footstep away.

Neighbours, everybody needs good neighbours,
With a little understanding, you can find a perfect plan.
Neighbours, should be there for one another.
That's when good neighbours become good friends.

Neighbours, need to get to know each other, next door is only a foot step away.
Neighbours, everybody needs good neighbours,
With a little understanding, you can find the perfect plan.
Neighbours, should be there for one another,

That's when good neighbours become good friends.

Finally to everyone who celebrates Gawai, I wish them Selamat Hari Gawai, Gaya Guru, Gerai Nyamai....