My little girl had a big surprise when she collected her Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) results -- 6As.
So overwhemingly surprised that Dina felt she was dreaming.
"Is it ok Pa?" she asked me excitedly over the phone to inform me about her achievement.
Okay? It was more than okay to me.
I am so proud of her.
Before she went to get the result this morning, I had told her that whatever it is, we must be thankful to Allah.
Just a few days ago, she passed her driving test on her first try.
I sense that she had kept the excitement down as the bigger suspense was the SPM result.
Having obtained the licence, she requested to drive to school and pleaded with us not to accompany her.
She wanted to be with her friends. They had been close friends who stuck to one another like glue over years of secondary schooling that has now become memories.
Although Dina humbly says she had not targeted any A, she had studied hard for the school-end examinations.
As the examinations drew nearer, she would stay up into the wee hours of the night to revise the subjects. Besides the tougher subjects like Mathematics, she had to deal with the Sciences -- Chemistry, Biology and Physics.
There were days when she went to school without sleep.
Looking back, Dina said the last-minute preparation was pleasantly rewarding.
While friends can be a source of inspiration, she says believing in Allah is the key to success.
Apart from revision, she frequently did the 'solat hajat' to prepare for the examination.
As my little girl seeks to pursue her studies, I thanked Allah for all the blessings that have been showered to the family.
Dina is our youngest after Adam, now pursuing diploma in tourism, and Yasmin, a mass communication graduate.
