UNTUK VERSI BAHASA MELAYU, KLIK SINI

You must have heard or seen about Aurora Borealis in the media. Or the locals called it ‘Northern Lights’ because it only occurs in the areas which is close to the North Pole (North). I always dream that, one day, I am able to see this nature wonder with my own eyes.

I’ve been through unexpected experience of seeing ‘milky way’ (strands millions of stars) in New Zealand, in one darkest night in the middle of nowhere. That experience I certainly can not forget. But, seeing Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) seems more beautiful than that.

10 years ago I read about Aurora Borealis in some magazine. 5 years later I started to look for it on Youtube. I spent the whole night watching videos of Aurora in those, extreme, cold country alone and asked myself – “will I be ever stand under it?”

As I mentioned many times before, I am not from a wealthy family or have posses a deep pocket of money. To be honest, I never joke about it. Since Aurora Borealis can be seen only in the countries / states such as Alaska (USA), Greenland, Iceland, Sweden and Finland make my dream appear such as a distant dream. 10 years ago, I can’t even afford to visit Singapore. Not to mentioned those countries known with expensive currency.

But one thing I want to remind you, No matter how poor we are (financial state, not education), we must not stop to dream and hope. Because it is free! And there is a time where, money can’t make your hope and dream to come true.

3 years later, destiny brought me to Great Land of Alaska. Well, marriage, soulmate arrangement happened by God’s will indeed. But for the first three visits, I was not able to see the Aurora Borealis. Aurora only come in the dark of winter dip below freezing without any patch of clouds in the sky. That’s main condition for it. Anyway, my first three visits wan in summer and spring.

However, I patiently waited for it. But once in a while, my patience seemingly went over the roof so I beg Mike to BUY package tours for Aurora Borealis sightseeing which is not cheap. $ 300 with ac1 night accommodation. Everything depends on the weather forecast. And yet, it is not guaranteed that Aurora will appear. Mike never say no to my request and yet he did not try to buy it at the same time. Hahaha.

Days turns into months. I keep watching the weather forecast. Aurora did make its appearance here and there but, too bad it was too far from our house. Mike did not make an effort to take me to those places where Aurora appears. Maybe for him, Aurora Borealis is just a moving color clouds. This reminds me of his request to bring him to the Skybridge at KLCC. He waited for 2 years for it and I still didn’t bring him there. Now I get a taste of my own medicine I guess.

Everybody in his family knew I wanted to see Aurora,

In first November night, exactly at 12 midnight, my father in law knocked the door of my bedroom. It was weird because there are no other reasons apart from informing the mails he picked for me.

“The lights is outside. I know you wanted to see it. But it’s very cold, put on your jacket”. Just like a child hearing the sounds of ice cream truck, I jumped with joy and ran outside without my jacket. Oh God. Beautiful. Very beautiful. I was in total awe until I forgot about piercing coldness. Once trembled, I went back inside rushing for my coat and camera.

Just like seeing your first love for the first time, I was nervous like I will never see this lights again in the future. All attempt to take pictures went completely haywire. Plus the crazy crisp cold weather in the middle of the night makes me trembled almost at parkinsons level. AND I DON’T HAVE TRIPOD OR REMOTE SHUTTER BUTTON!. Great, just great. The first four blurry images were among hundreds tryout in capturing moving Aurora Borealis.
Yes! Finally, I stood under Aurora Borealis! With happy tears, I thanked to God for answering my prayer.

I once asked by someone. The question is more or less like this – “you’re not wearing hijab, but you managed to go everywhere and do things that I dreamed of. While I trying to be a very good muslim and yet I can’t experience the things that you had. I must say I envy you. How do you do that?”

Frankly, I’m not hurt by such question which, I keep getting it almost everyday from strangers. All I can answer him was “my deeds and my prayer is between me and the Creator. Who are we to doubt God’s will? Are we the right person to doubt God’s act when He chose to grant other people wishes but not us?”

Seriously, how grateful you are towards what’s God has given you was not through mosque ‘check in’ location on Facebook or Instagram. Or wearing prayer cloth and take selfie with Quran and praying mat. Or sharing Islamic quotes memes thus, ‘like’ and ‘comment’ if I love Islam. You will never see that from me. Only God knows and has the right to judge me.

However, as I said before, keep dreaming and hoping. If we believe in Him and His power, regardless how little or big your prayer has been answered, or none at all, there always a reason behind it.

December, I met with Aurora again. This time I was more calm in my attempt to record its presence. But! One thing for sure, I am all prepared with Gorilla monopod and remote shutter release button for our next meet.

“Hold fast to dreams, For if dreams die. Life is a broken-winged bird, That cannot fly.”
― Langston Hughes

Wasilla, Alaska USA

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