My Sister's Daughter

So grateful today my first born niece (from a pair of twins), also my mum's first grandchild spent the day with mum and I. Although their mother is no longer with us, my niece and her siblings always take the time to call or visit us. Their presence evokes memories of my late sister and their thoughtfulness proves how well she had raised them.

I took this picture late last year, a week after I returned to Malaysia, I could see it in my mum's eyes how much she missed my sister  (my sister was an affectionate person) and having her children around at least makes it less painful for her. I was not around in Malaysia much and my sister Lind was working and was hardly in Malaysia too. Mum used to spent her time with my sister on weekends either in Kuala Lumpur or Raub.

I love my nieces and nephews but there is a special bond between me and my twin nieces. It was in the middle of my sixth birthday, on September 2nd, 1979 when we received a call around Maghrib time, that my sister had given birth to a pair of twins.  As far a I can remember, from that year onwards, when Mum organised a birthday for me (right up to this day without fail), we would always include the twins. There was a  year we celebrated with my cousin (my uncle's daughter) who also shared the same birthdate. We practically grew up together, what with the small age difference and that my sister and her husband would never missed spending her weekends or school holidays with us.

Now, that the twins are both grown up and have their own family, of course time with us is limited but what makes it really special is that they usually take the time to call my mum or their Aunts just to ask about our well-being. For me it means that despite their busy life, we are in their thoughts. Indeed thankful!