Mikhail in my Cartoons - Saturday Cartoons Part 2!

On Children

(by Kahlil Gibran)

Your children are not your children.

They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.

They come through you but not from you,

And though they are with you, yet they belong not to you.

You may give them your love but not your thoughts.

For they have their own thoughts.

You may house their bodies but not their souls,

For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow,

which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.

You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.

For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.

You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.

The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite,

and He bends you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far.

Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness;

For even as He loves the arrow that flies,

so He loves also the bow that is stable.

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I don't often quote anyone's poetry in this almanac. But since the sketch was drawn expressly with this poem by Kahlil Gibran in mind, it would not be fair not to do so. And I do try to be fair, though a sinner I am. Honest.

Below are some other cartoons done with my son, Mikhail in it. He has added an extra spice of uncertainty and exuberant brilliance in my life. I cannot thank God enough. And I cannot thank my son enough. One late night recently, as he was about to fall asleep, I said, "Thank you, Mika." Under the blanket and pillow he sleepily replied, "What for, Papa?" To which I answered, "For being born."

All these cartoons have been previously posted, but I hope it shall not impede your enjoyment.

Be close to your children. Who else can they come to,
if they cannot come to you in times of trouble?

The direction of prayers (kiblat) is towards the holy Kaaba in Mecca.
But in their formative years, you are the kiblat of your children.

Your children need you. But don't cramp their style.
They need room to breath and grow as how God intended.

And lastly, expect to be the object of humour and laughter for your children.
Children's laughter is the music of heaven. So what if you look foolish for a while?

Thank you for dropping in, sunshine. God bless all children, wonderful vessels of love and energy that they are.

wa min Allah at-taufiq

Hate has no place in Islam

Love will show the Way

Mikhail Aged 7 years old, and Kahlil Gibran Deceased for 80 years

KAHLIL GIBRAN. My dad, who (at least on the face of it) is not the most poetic man in the world, has a fancy for the prose of Kahlil (or sometimes Khalil) Gibran, that famous Lebanese American poet who passed on sometime back in 1931. He is reputedly the third best-selling poet of all time, before Shakespeare and Lao-Tzu. Anyway, after the controlled anarchy of Mikhail's birthday party yesterday, my mind drifted like a rudderless ship to this extract of a famous Gibran poem about God, parents and children. It is wonderful, really...
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...You are the bows from which your children
as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite,
and He bends you with His might
that His arrows may go swift and far.
Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness;
For even as He loves the arrow that flies,
so He loves also the bow that is stable.

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INHERITENCE. Recovering in bed this morning, I typed out this sms and sent it out to my family and friends who honoured Mika by their attendance to the party.
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Thank u for being a good sport and coming to mika's birthday yesterday. It was d best birthday he EVER had, says Mikhail. People want to leave wealth and riches for their children, but d truth is, the real wealth u can leave yr children is education and wonderful memories. From me and my family, i thank u for making my son feel 'richer' for you being a part of yesterday and its happy memories. If there was any inadequacy or contratemp yesterday at d party, please accept our sincere apologies, for surely, it was unintended. Wasalaam.
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MISS ME, JUST A LITTLE. I am not a great dad and perhaps I spend too little time with him. But whatever times we shared, I hope Mikhail shall be able to recall them with a smile. And if I depart this world before him, I hope that he shall recall such memories with a small tear of yearning - Missing me a little, not much, just a little.
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PAST PRESENT FUTURE. The present is not for present gratification alone. In fact, I must always try to remind myself that really, the present doesn't exist save as a bridge between the past and the future. And I think that so long as we remember the past, our heritage and where we came from, and as long as we plan our present actions for the future of our children, surely we are living the present in the very best way possible. That way, we may fulfill the trust the All Loving God laid upon our souls those long uncounted years ago.
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Have a nice Sunday, sunshine...
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Pax Taufiqa.

Mika the Blackjack King, God, Atheists and Probabilities

Mikhail is what people may term a ‘precocious child’. Last night I taught Mikhail to play Blackjack. I figure that it would be a good way to teach him about probabilities and statistics. He picked up the game pretty quick. He can do that so long as he is focused. Most kids can I think. Next I am gonna teach him Gin Rummy and then Poker.

PROBABILITIES. Atheists like to talk about probabilities. They say that God is humanity’s way to cope with the seeming arbitrariness of life and fate. Then they dig up a few fossils, draw some charts and cross out God’s existence. Well, it’s fine if they want to think that way, just as long as they don’t force anyone to conform to their views. After all, there should be no compulsion in any religion, including Atheism (hehehe).

For some people though, everything is the creation of God. And that includes mathematics and probabilities. For me, I do not discount the possibility (or should I call it probability?) that God utilizes probabilities / chance in the mechanics of nature and the Universe. In fact I believe it with all my heart. So through card games, I am gonna teach my 6 year old heir the subtle hand of fate that God deals through the science of probabilities. Or maybe that is just an excuse (hehehe).

MIKHAIL. I took Mika out for an early breakfast today, before the Sun came up. Later as we chilled at home, he suddenly blurted to me, “Hey, Papa. You are the best dad I have.” I looked at him as he continued, “If I have another papa, I won’t like him as much as I like you.” I smiled, “That is sweet of you to say that, Mika.”

I love my son. I remember being in constant worry how we would bring him up. I do not know how to. Mika will have to be my 'work-in-progress'. So even before he was born, I remember seeking help to even up the odds a bit …

93. Muhammad Mikhail
May he be a servant of God,
A lover of the Prophet,
A friend of the Angels,
A mureed of the Masters,
A caretaker of the Traditions,
And spring of charity
To all who may come to him in need.

Somewhere far, far down the line,
Perhaps he can also call himself
A son of mine.

That is my prayer for my son.

189. Ward Of The State Of Friends
Knowing himself unworthy,
The father,
In anxiety,
Declares the child
Ward of the State of Friends,*
A pupil of Angels,
Before the child ever
Breathed his first.
(‘Friends’ are in reference to Saints, both in the past and alive.)

WE DON’T OWN OUR KIDS. Early on in my fatherhood, I have always felt that there I have no real proprietary right over Mika. I don’t ‘own’ him. Like all fathers and mothers, I like to think of him as a trust, to be cared and loved, before he sprouts his own wings to begin his life as a young adult. And if years on, our children thinks back fondly of us, ah… that is simply a bonus.

If you feel the same way about your own precocious son or daughter – then really, how can we not be brothers and sisters?

Have a nice weekend, sunshine.

Pax Taufiqa.

Footnote 1 – In his first ever game last night, Mika beat me by 20 to 16 in Blackjack. I complained “How do you keep winning all the time?!” Mika reassured me, “I am a beginner, Papa. This is what you call beginner’s luck”.

Footnote 2 – ‘Muhammad Mikhail’ is from Chapter 1 ‘The Dam.SunSun.Ana’, while ‘Ward of the State of Friends’ is from Chapter 2 ‘Dam.Munir.Ana’, both recorded in 2004.

Even the mightiest of trees began life in a tiny little seed

That’s my son, Mikhail. I guess he would love to accompany me almost anywhere. So long as there is something in it for him. Once he said to me, “Papa, if you love someone, you would die for that someone!” Precocious, isn’t he? Anyhow, I was curious as to his new-found romantic sensibility and asked, “Well, Mika, who would you die for?” He was thoughtful for a second and replied, “Anyone, Papa. Anyone really.” I was just thinking how much we can learn from a mere child, but then he continued, “So long as they pay me!”

I asked Mika why he doesn’t tidy up after himself in my house. Monetizing the issue, he replied, “You know, Papa, I would, if you pay me RM10 every day.” I counter-argued, “Mika, maybe you should be the one paying me. After all, I pay your teacher who teaches you twice a week in Kumon. But I teach you everyday to be a good boy.” Without batting an eyelid, my son replied, “Papa, you will get paid when you get to heaven.” I have apparently conceived a religious capitalist.

He is also a strong advocate of the gold standard. He once shared with his long-suffering grandmother his monetary views, “You know what, Nenek? I don’t like paper money anymore. Do you know they are worthless? I like gold now. Gold lasts forever.” Then he finally notices the gold pendant that his grandmother always wears and exclaimed, “Hey! Is that gold?”

He suffers quite a bit, being my son. Again and again, I would question him, “Who is your boss, Mika?". And without fail his answer would be, “God and Nabi Muhammad”, Or sometimes, a little impatiently, “Nabi Muhammad and God, Papa!” I like to ask him simply because I love his answer, and he gives me the same reply because he knows I like it. He is thoughtful that way.

Mika is also a religious innovator. In the nursery game of scissors-paper-stones which he often plays with Heche, he would create alternative hand gestures, which includes a bazooka, ten thousand bazookas, or infinity times bazookas. Sometimes it can also be a universe-sized dinasour or robot. Heche can still win against him though, if she can think fast. But in the end, she inevitably loses when Mika brings out the biggest gun in his arsenal and cries out “God and Nabi Muhammad!”. He doesn’t like to lose, my son.

Mika has five cousins but I think he is most fond of the youngest boy, Rafael. He told me one day, “I love Rafael, Papa, even though he sometimes bites me.” I then asked him, “If Ralf likes to bite you, why do you love him?”. He replied, “Because. Papa, he’s the best bolster!”

I do not think I will win Dad of the Year award. But Mika will always be Son of the Year to me. Often I would ask him, “Who’s my best boy?” To which he always replies, “Me.” Then I would ask him why. With a world-weary sigh he would give the same explanation, “Because I am your only son, Papa…”

Kahlil Gibran, that old Lebanese lover-boy once wrote that our children are like arrows which we must ultimately shoot from our bows to take flight according to their whim and desires, to fly in the hands of God/Love that we must trust best. It is hard to let go, I know. But are we ever in control even of our own fate?

I look at my son and try not to worry too much. Because in all the children born from my generation, I discern a glimmer of promise more promising than their parents, wisdom beyond their years, and an inner grace incubating in a small and seemingly fragile figure. But even the mightiest of trees began life in a tiny little seed.

Thank you for reading my ramblings today.

Pax Taufica.