It is that time of the year again when yours truly will have to spend 4 hours driving to his beloved hometown of Penang trying his best to keep awake. We used to go together, as a whole family, until no car this side of the Third-World could carry all of us in comfort. Besides, another car means another trunk, and to the females in my family, this could only be good news.

But I am sad to say, without a shadow of a doubt, that I have lost my zest to Balik Kampung for Hari Raya. I don’t look forward to the Lemang and Ketupat and Serundings, since I’ve just realized that cutting down on all those carbs could probably add a few years for me to lead an active life and shave off a few kilos of unwanted flabbiness. So if food’s not your motivation (as it was last year), what is?

Maybe the loud Sahur gossiping session amongst the womenfolk while waiting for Subuh, or maybe the hot and humid tightly packed Grandma’s house, or it could be the queuing up to use the toilet, or to use the toilet and then be sweetly interrupted by your Aunt knocking on it asking if anyone’s in there (helloooo??). Raya itself is becoming a routine, and routines can only be good and interesting for a short period.

I’ve been celebrating Raya as a teenager for the past 6 years, at the very least. I guess I’m just waiting for the next step you know, the next stage in these Raya celebrations. You know the stage where you’re the one giving duit raya, and have people coming over saying “ampun” to you? I guess it’s just a sense of boredom, being stuck for the past 4 and ½ years doing the same thing every year studying the same thing meeting the same people.

Hari Raya will still be meaningful to many people. Some kid will probably be excited as hell receiving his first duit raya, not knowing that in years to come he’ll probably be feeling just like me. So I guess I was wrong in thinking that Raya is becoming boring. It’s still the same joyous occasion. Raya itself remains true to its roots. It is just me that’s bored.

Well, in any case, I would like to wish my readers (3 people…hahaha) a very joyful and worthy Hari Raya. Let’s not forget we are fortunate enough to celebrate it, so be thankful. Smile when you have to hear one more “bila nak kahwin?” question from your relatives. Heck, you’ll probably be doing the same thing when you’re 40 years old.

Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri. Maaf Zahir dan Batin.