The Little Women

There’s this light that glows on the particular part of that house, A part where no light  ever shines. That house on the distance, who could possibly still awake at this particular time of the night? Does someone live there now? Did someone prepare to take some exam? Is a mother awake along with her child? Rocking her back and forth, singing lullabies south to north. Is it a father with wandering minds? About their future and his child, About his wife and his child? Or maybe, it’s an anxious one; trying to greet some sleep that never comes? What’s your guess? What light could it be In that house on the distance? Ananda Khaira Azizah, Pekanbaru, Dec 24th 2025. Written at 1am on a Wednesday.

I realize now that the world is full of broken hearts, empty promises, roads unjust & ways unaligned without a single thing we can do about it, but have you ever thought about whys? Because all of them; those series of disappointments are external, while us—internal.  (I need to remind you that the disappointment is from the outside of you; while yourself is not, and never will be, a disappointment.) The only thing that we can do is to prepare ourselves & our children to brace for impact. To expect the unexpected. Brace for impact, comprehend your surroundings then rise from the ashes. Brace, adapt, rise. Brace, adapt, rise (hey, looks like we have new abbreviation of BAR now, right?) Rise even stronger, wittier & prettier than before. Because it’s your pick, you know. Changes come from you and end only with you. This world will never stop spinning unless you told it to. So, what will you do today? Will you brace, adapt, or rise? Ananda Khaira Azizah, Pekanbaru, Dec 20t...

The name is sashimi. It’s a bit sus,  but it’s got lots of guts. It wears itself proudly and tastes as delicious as you can imagine, really. Do you know what we can learn from a sashimi? That you can be soft and firm at the same time, like tuna sashimi. The softness doesn’t mean you’re meek—it’s strong yet compassionate. You can be soft and sweet, like nama hotate. But your softness isn’t a weakness—it’s a sweet complement to your personality, instead. Or you can be like salmon belly—the very presence of you brings a profound taste to anyone’s tastebuds. Deliciously melty & wonderful, truly the light of the room. And all three are raw, a strength of their own—authentic. So, according to the story, which sashimi will you choose? 😉 Ananda Khaira Azizah,  Pekanbaru, December 5th 2025. Written at 6am on a Friday.

What makes home a home—is it a feeling, a memory or a person? Are they separable or are they not? A feeling is something that’s attached tightly to memories, and memories involve people, so at the very end, a home is all three. But for me? For me, a home is a feeling. It’s when my child muttered our name in his sleep; when he jumps with delight at the very sight of us and the way he looks at us before drifting away to his sleep. A feeling so great that makes me whole and grounded, so good it invokes gratefulness in me, and so beautiful it sometimes brings tears to my eyes. Yes, the feeling is love—but it’s not just any love. It’s the kind of love that makes your chest swell with happiness; barely containable but desperately need-able. And about separability… No. I don’t think feelings, memories, and people are separable. Those three—they are the very essence of love.  Because without people, you’ll have no feelings, thus no memories, right? The feelings are, of course, gained from ...

“Chickenary = where chicken equals self-resiliency.” Chicken = Resilient. Why? How? In this piece, the chicken sees itself in two different ways. One as a question mark and second as a statement. I am a bird but I can’t fly, why? why? why? I endured every food-processing process, yet I still emerge as a chicken—resiliently, deliciously & wonderfully. The first one leans heavily unto self doubt because of the so many whys (and the answer is really, up to our God’s above) and the second one is one strong statement filled with self pride. As mundane as you think a chicken is, it has been an irreplaceable food of choice on our table, right? The chicken might undergo a temperature so low it becomes frozen chicken and so high it becomes grilled chicken. Some chicken even has rendang paste mixed; then stirred for hours until it becomes rendang chicken.  But my point being that they are still chicken, through and through from beginning till the end. Its resiliency persists toward anyth...

Oh isn’t he sweet Falling back asleep as soon as mama’s hand touches his, And sleeping soundly on mama’s shoulder for 10 hours straight with little to no break (😂) Then husband said “That’s not healthy, you should be able to move when you want to move.” As if he doesn’t see him scoots when I scoots. So the bladder’s full on most nights and when I’m finally able to release they usually accompanied by strings of heartfelt cries  But he is sweet, really. My wonderful boy who laughs with the biggest laugh and giggles with the biggest smile. Whose heart as big as the ocean and love just as deep; whose eyes flicker with excitement & curiosity & wonder. You’ve taught me more than I taught you, truly. I’m forever grateful, baby. Forever in love with you and also, I’m forever yours. And this piece’s written by yours truly, mama. Ananda Khaira Azizah, Pekanbaru, October 25th. Written on 6pm on a Saturday.