Continuities

Spent the early afternoon Raya visiting in and around Alor Gajah. We've been going to some of the houses for some twenty years now and not much about them ever seems to change. But the hospitality remains warmly consistent. Thus we make our temporary lives seem almost permanent.

Something Heavy

Decided to travel light since I'm only staying the one night here in Melaka, so brought along just the one book to read. The tome in question is Milton's Selected Poetry and Prose in the Norton Critical Edition, and I'd recommend it for all fans of the great epic poet - though it doesn't actually contain the great epic itself, which comes in its own Norton Critical Edition of Paradise Lost. Fortunately the Selected has got everything else you really need in it with very helpful notes, strategically placed to instantly assist the slow-minded reader like myself. (Must say, I'm seriously thinking of acquiring Milton's lost paradise in this edition, but feel a bit guilty since I've already got several versions of it.)

Over the last few days I've been reacquainting myself with Samson Agonistes and I must say it just gets better with every reading - despite the fact that it seems to get a bit of a bad press from some critics. Yes, it's not as gloriously lush as Paradise Lost, but its sparse astringency seems to me a virtue in itself; it's so wonderfully concentrated. Mind you I think Prof John Carey has got a genuine point when he calls it a work in praise of terrorism and suggests it should be banned in the wake of 9/11 (in an essay that appears amongst the critical essays offered with several others as part of the Selected. Good value, eh?) It's a work designed to bother and unsettle and provoke. I think part of Milton identifies with the tragically destructive Samson, and part of him knows this is a very dangerous chap.

Must say, I remain puzzled by the controversy over the dating of the piece. As far as I can gather there's a case made for it being fairly early Milton - circa the early 1650s, but it seems so obviously of the 1660s to me, with blind Milton's republican dreams crushed and humiliation fallen upon him that I just can't read it in any other way. Goodness me, how stupid my countrymen were to bring back the monarchy!

Back On The Road Again

Noi's going back to Melaka for more Raya-ing tonight; I'll be following tomorrow after getting dramatic in the early part of the day. At times just trying to remember which country one needs to be and for how long is quite a task in itself.

It's Curtains

 

 

Before marriage I never understood the importance of proper curtains to a right-thinking household. Now I've progressed to an appreciation of curtains in combination with twinkling lights. Not a combination for the faint-hearted.

A Moment In Time

Hari Raya Puasa, Eid ul-Fitr; 1 Syawal 1437

Attended the Raya Prayers this morning at the big masjid in Alor Gajah, accompanying Rozaidah's husband known to us all as the Ustad. One particularly nice moment: there was a solemn little lad who'd been assigned to walk through the rows during the khutbah to collect contributions from the congregation. When he arrived at the old gentleman in front of me the old man, having placed his donation in the bag proffered to him, then detained the boy for a moment in order to put some more money in the top pocket of his rather nifty grey baju, and then affectionately pat him on the shoulder. The little lad remained suitably serious throughout, but I suspect he was gratified by the attention - and the cash. A reminder that in a big world it's the small details that count.

To all who journey and arrive, at least long enough to enjoy the view: Selamat Hari Raya! Eid Mubarak!

Hotter Than July

30 Ramadhan 1437

15.00

A ferociously hot, but thankfully final, afternoon on which to be fasting. About to drive up north to celebrate Raya over the border. Hoping for clear roads, and a bit of rain wouldn't go amiss.

21.15

Didn't get the rain, but the roads were clear and we arrived early enough to pop down to the pasar malam in Alor Gajah to buy some goodies for the breaking of the fast. Now happily contemplating actually being able to drink a cup of tea whenever I want to during the day and feeling highly celebratory.

The Bright Lights Last Night

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

29 Ramadhan 1437

We found ourselves at Geylang again this afternoon, having enjoyed our night out on Sunday, but having failed to pay our zakat due to arriving a couple of minutes too late at Darul Arqam, where we pay annually. We had no problem paying this afternoon, apart from having to deal with the overwhelming heat, and a bigger crowd than last night. Not sure how the stallholders cope with it all. Not sure how all the food available ever gets eaten.

Preparing

28 Ramadhan 1437

17.38

With Raya fast approaching we're off this evening to the wilds of the Ramadhan Bazaar at Geylang to get festive. Fifi and Fafa will be coming along with us - they've stayed for the weekend in order to do some baking with their Mak Ndak. We've got the twinkling lights going at last (as evidenced below), and are now embarking on the final cleaning up ahead of the big day. It's all falling fruitfully into place!

 

 

 

 

The Flesh Is Weak

27 Ramadhan 1437

Just got back from the gym, this being my second visit during the holy month, after getting back on the cross training thingamajig last Wednesday evening. I posted a pretty poor performance then, but did manage 40 minutes, and achieved something similar tonight - a slight improvement, in fact. In some ways it's startling to realise I still have the energy to keep going despite my body telling me it has nothing to give.

They are funny things these bags of skin and bone and blood and flesh and other gooey bits that embody whatever it is that makes us what we are. Even when they let you down - and, let's face it, one day they will do so on a spectacular scale - you can't help but feel attached to them.

Following Directions

26 Ramadhan 1437

The brief reference I made a couple of days ago to the Aristotelian notion of Final Causes came as a direct result of some of my reading back at the taman. I dipped extensively into a couple of the books I acquired recently by Ed Feser, his lucid introduction to Aquinas and The Last Superstition. Both are highly readable and models of philosophy done with clarity - and considerable insight. I'm not entirely sold on all the good prof's ideas, especially his approach to Natural Law, but on the fundamentals of Aristotle's (and Aquinas's) metaphysics I'm close to closing the deal.

My turning away from a kind of woolly agnosticism to a fragile theism, which took place some years ago, was not based on the idea that through reason alone we can arrive at an acceptance of monotheism. Rather somewhere inside the complex of ideas that led me on was a sense that a purely materialistic explanation of the way things are couldn't hold water as it failed to acknowledge the odd and obvious purposefulness of, well, everything. Now, in moments of clarity, the pervasive intentionality of all we are able to know is obvious, and supremely reasonable.

An instance not just of the single fingerpost, but of seeing signs everywhere one cares to look.