26 October 2009

Pak Cik Reminisces (Part 9) – Pencapaian

Sifting through a not-so-old file of documents, Pak Cik spotted the copy of a letter dated 12th March 1994, fifteen years ago. The letter, a four-page of type-written, was addressed to my number three who was then 22 and a long away from home. He was struggling to prove himself academically. Pak Cik had just been released from serving a ‘sentence’ of 30-year of challenging working life ( not quite 'hard labour' catagory!). He was under ‘trial’, so to speak, waiting to see what kind of sentence would be passed on him. The long letter was a typical father-and-son communication, heavy on philosophy of life. The year 1994 was just before Pak Cik began my voluntary labour at Almanar.

Pak Cik chose to end the letter with the following poem which very much reflected what was going through my mind.

PENCAPAIAN

Ku sampai kemuncak gunung
Menyedut udara nyaman
Dada yang lega fikiran tenang
Tercapai hajat dan idaman
Itukah PENCAPAIAN?

Keringatku mengering
Yang panas mula mendingin
Sang matahari yang terang
Masih tinggi dipandangan
Apakah PENCAPAIAN?

Nun jauh di bawah awan
Yang ku tinggal di belakang
Tak ada yang kurang
Tak ada yang hilang
Di mana ada PENCAPAIAN?

Andainya langit tercapai tangan
Melangkahi bintang-bintang
Memerah awan
Mengeluarkan hujan
Itukah PENCAPAIAN?

Ku tunggu bisikan angin
Ku tunggu liputan awan
Ku tunggu sinaran bulan dan bintang
Ku tunggu ilham
Ku tunggu PENCAPAIAN

Yang hampa membawa harapan
Yang kosong minta penuhan
Yang kurang menunggu tambahan
Yang rendah mengingin tinggian
Mendoa PENCAPAIAN

Dari YANG tak kekurangan
Dari RAHMAN
YANG memberi sinaran
YANG menghidupkan
MEMPUNYAI HAKIKAT PENCAPAIAN

Indeed I thought I had achieved something in life, yet so many around were seeking for help just to survive.

Today I look at this poem, holding back my tears for whatever reason it may be, and keep wondering ……

Apakah erti PENCAPAIAN hidup pada hakikatnya?

when " ................glory but leads to the grave" ( Wonder which English poet said this.)


Berkhidmat kerana Tuhan untuk kemanusiaan.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Pakcik

Whatever we achieve in life is not ours but it all belongs to The Ultimate Creator,Allah.
"from Him we come and to Him we return"
Azmiera
p/s:I got 3.77 with English-B+

Al-Manar said...

Azmiera,
It is just the beginning for you and it is not a bad result at all. It is your first at this reputable university. Stay guided as you have always shown to be. I have high hopes for you and other ex-Almanar.Think of you family, your father especially. I have hopes but they have dreams.
Pakcik

Memorable trails... said...

Salam Pakcik,
Pencapaian is very subjective.Different people have different goals untuk dicapai dan digapai.And as we move on with life there are always more and more things to achieve.As a Muslim I supposed the ultimate achievement will be a blessed life now and in the world after.

Al-Manar said...

Mdam Gold

Pencapaian is very subjective. I agree with you. We all have our own yardstick.
Pakcik

ARZ said...

Indeed another pleasant discovery of your many other talents!

Al-Manar said...

ARZ
I keep wondering whether I did write it, though the thought in it pointed very much to mine. I will not be surprised if a literary visitor can enlighten me otherwise.
In spirit are you still in Dublin?
Pakcik

Umi Kalthum Ngah said...

Dear Pakcik,

Both of us are looking forward to see you this coming Saturday...

Salams to Makcik...

PS. Getting excited to take the long drive up to Kuala Terengganu..Yes! Just the two of us...

Al-Manar said...

Umi
There is every likelihood you will experience monssoon weather - the rough sea, overcast sky and intermittent rains are signs. Be extra careful on the road.
Pakcik

Zendra-Maria said...

I love your sajak very much Pak Sheikh... reflecting life at the crossroads then?

You have moved mountains in the 15 years thence and the poet who wrote that line "the paths of glory lead but to the grave" had no inkling of jihad I'd say.

:)

Al-Manar said...

Zendra,

So you know the poem only part of which Pakcik can remember(erroneously too). Please tell me who the writer is. I remember coming across this piece some 55 years ago and I would love to know the whole poem.

Asnija said...

Salam Pakcik,
Pencapaian for me, is to be able to serve...for I'm nobody without those people...
Ps:(trying very hard to serve Allah as His true servant...not merely for His syurga...)

ninotaziz said...

Dear Pakcik,

As I traverse your blogs, I would like to say I see a different angle to the immediate dialogue.

I see a father writing his his hopes and dreams to a faraway son. How lucky the son.

I quickly opened my-not-so-long-ago folder of letters looking for my mother's letters to me back then.

Ahhh...the beauty of long ago letters is quite unlike anything else in this world.

Must write to my dear family and daughters soon in the old-fashioned longhand one of these days.

Al-Manar said...

Minotaziz,
I am happy to know that what I wrote a few months ago is able to give you a message which has prompted you into action.

Anonymous said...

good points and the details are more specific than elsewhere, thanks.

- Norman