Gratitude: BFF Bibimbap

Today, I am grateful for good friend(s). I am blessed with a good friend (and sometimes more) for every stage of my life. Friends for all seasons, friends for all reasons, alhamdulillah.

This wonderful lady and I, we met in primary school and sailed through the entire primary and secondary years without being best of friends. Parallel lives, that did not really cross.

Not until many, many years later, while working, and after I landed a job that required equal amounts of desk and travel. We were chummy sisters in Christ too, until I reached a stage when I asked and searched for The Truth. When I found The Truth in Islam, this friendship took one of the hardest blows. 

It was one of my many challenges towards Islam, masyaAllah. Allah swt is full of mercy and blessings.

I cried over it, I prayed over it, but Allah swt Knows Best and Healed me/us in His time.

Years on, with our past hurt having been dealt with, we have both grown emotionally and spiritually. Amends were made and compromises agreed upon. Agree to disagree, agree to live harmoniously and agree to grow old happily.

Dol sot bibimbap is a dish we both love and try to have every time we meet up. Hearty, wholesome and homely. We go home feeling nourished, spiritually recharged and friendship bond reinforced with love and kindness. Somehow, we do not feel the passing of 3 decades as we laugh and cry together...

In our early 30s, we used to share a common love for flourless chocolate  cake, and I learnt to steam some every time the craving calls for it. Perhaps I can, inshaAllah, steam some soon and deliver them to her office once the summer holidays kick in. Now that's a plan!

 

 

We also share a few other common indulgences like facial and spa, make up and skin care shopping, shopping in general and made-to-order brew of "mocha decaf soya". Over the years, K-drama and South Korean cuisine crept into our common favourites!

 

Sometimes, we remember all our common traits and preferences when the world outside tries to tear us apart. We even shared a hairstylist for many years. It is too wonderful that this hairstylist we both love has the rare skills of creating vavoomness for our flat fine hair. And he is back in business at Saw Saloon KLCC!!

 

The girliness in us have not depleted, save for the fact that opportunities for such time consuming activities are much harder to come by since we have both gotten married and started our own families. However, by some miracle, we make those moments count, when they do happen.

What is important though, is that we know such friendship blessings are precious and protected in armour of love, trust and loyalty. SubhanAllah! The physical distance may seem far, but not our hearts (ironically, thanks to technology and social media).

Allah swt knows how precious this friendship is. Bean and my BFF share the same birth date. His Gifts, truly. 

Thank you, Monica. I am blessed to have you in my life. May you be increased in abundance and love, always. Amin!