Prologue

Prologue

         

Going back in time, or looking back to more than five decades or more than half a century, is not something easy. Just as I open my eyes with faded visions, more than fifty years had passed by. I used to wonder why should I study history as a subject during my school days; other than the attractions of old folks stories, it is just like another bedtime story. Years later, while doing philosophical classes in college in the United States, only did I realized that history is more than just about civilizations or past events, but rather of the underlying principles which tend to influence our modern way of life. We have to be serious about history as past events tend to reoccur though at a varying degree as a matter of opinion. In writing these bits and pieces of my memories, the secondary purpose is an attempt to document my roots; of my ancestors, who originally hailed from the neighborhood state of Brunei Darussalam, and of course of my local maternal roots.

Our clan’s composition has over the years outgrown into a large community spreading all over the states of Malaysia and beyond. However, I stand to be qualified regarding the accuracy and superficial work I did with this part, since it sound more of folklore than that of factual findings and I tender my apologies should I offend others. Little did I realize that life is so fragile and in the passing of time many things will be forgotten and only imaginations and memories left.

Time passes so quickly as if it flies and there is nothing we can do about it, let alone, stop or slow it down, maybe for the purpose of slowing my own aging, I try to forget it. One thing good about time passing is that it shows the chronological manner of progress or developments and achievements which are synonym to many of us. Time specifically provides a space for my life.

It is not easy to start and write on what had happened during more than a half century ago. I have a few choises for my style, that is, either recall my experiences and my imaginations or just be pure blunt. Either way I just hope that my memories stay as ageing perhaps affects my state of mind one way or another with only as a matter of degree.

I am not a journalist; I did not write and keep notes now and then and perhaps this is one of my weaknesses. I tend to misplace or say lost what I partly wrote of my experiences for more than half a century; and whatever. This may not be pleasant to be read by many, but keep trying, you may find something useful.

Some people said, “Forget the past the future still holds the best for us”. My simple opinion is that the past is always relevant. For if you forget them, the mistakes that you made in the past will be repeated. This form the basic of my writing and contemporary is my style.