OUR SILVER JUBILEE - 25 YEARS OF MARRIED LIFE

Twenty five years ago was my aqad nikah with Puteh Jerineh Binte Ramli held in a bungalow in No.7, Jalan Rhu, in New Town area, Petaling Jaya.

Since then we have had four wonderful children - Aidyl Abadi, 23, Aidyl Nurhadi, 21, Adylla Lyanna, 17, and Adi Iliya, 15. No daughter-in-laws yet and therefore no grandchildren so far.

We've stayed in many places since we married. Our early married life as a couple was with her uncle in that same house in Petaling Jaya, mostly to take care of her late grandmother. In later years, we moved to a small apartment we bought in SEA Park Petaling Jaya.

The apartment was however too small and too difficult for her grandmother to move in with us, so we rented a house near to my mom's place in Kampung Tunku. There we stayed there until a few years (in various houses but usually in the same vicinity as not to confuse the kids with new schools every two years).

About 8 years ago, we decided to move back in into my old family home in Kampung Tunku after it was renovated. It was also when my parents wanted to retire to Janda Baik.
So here we are, 25 years later, in our humble little abode in Kampung Tunku.

We both used to contribute together to our savings. She used to work with Cathay Orgnisation, and then Sime Darby, and then Avon and then PLUS. We even worked together to start our own event management and PR consultancy called Lagenda Abadi but when the kids came, it was decided that she should become a full time housewife and took care of the kids. This was a good arrangement as the kids were getting bigger and needed our full attention.

Married life is also full of challenges and ups and downs - but nevertheless, I could never think what my life would be without her. She is the glue that makes the whole family stick together. So what if she is into herbs and plants (like I once said - FRIM would be jealous of her garden)? We have the healthiest garden in the neighborhood.

There are some parts of our life together that could improve (from her viewpoint) - I could actually go for morning walks with her for example (I would say no to her citing all sorts of excuses but on the other hand say yes to walking 18 holes with my golfing friends).

But that is life. Giving and taking. Balancing all the way - the good and the bad. In the end - as Alan Jay Lerner wrote for the musical My Fair Lady :
"I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face".I'm so used to hear her say
"Good morning" ev'ry day.
Her joys, her woes,
Her highs, her lows,
Are second nature to me now;
Like breathing out and breathing in.

Happy Anniversary, Dearest Wifey