I'm being nostalgic, so beware.

It's raining this morning, and for some reasons; it made me happy.

What do I like so much about rain?

It reminds me of my childhood, my hometown.

See, I grew up where the rains never stop when it comes to the ends of the year. Years ago, when there is yet few buildings and traffics; my brothers and I have always looking forward to December. It's going to be raining, the place going to be flooded with water. It means holiday, so we can play.

I remember waking up at nights waiting for the water level to increase, measuring again and again how soon it will be before they invade my house.

Once when I was about four or five years old, the flood got into the second level of our house we have to get tables from the school canteen to put our belongings, and while my mom and dad were busy getting things organized, my bro and I would be busy killing worms in our floats.

Then, the year that I remember most was 1995. I was 10, and at the time my father was not home as he works every two weeks outside the country. My bro who was at the time studying at UM had to come home to help my mom manage the house and especially, us. my youngest bro was only three years old back then.

This time, our house already had the third floor. Well, mind you, though, my house was not a bungalow. The upper storey was made up entirely of wood, and the best thing is, it is entirely mine! I remember everytime I fell asleep downstair at night in my parent's room, I always pretended that I was not awake so my father would carry me upstair.

Ok, back to the story. So, since it's flooding. All of us had to sleep upstair in my room. Everytime we need someting to buy, my bro would get on the 'sampan' to get to the main road. Then on the evenings, all of us would head to my aunt's house (you see, back when I was at my hometown, all six to seven houses in a row were all my father's immediate family) to get my uncle's sampan. We'd go around the school (the houses at the areas are located around a primary school; you wonder the name of the school? Sek. Keb. Pusat, Jerteh), poking the worms on the fences, talking to old folks. Tired, we'd get back to our aunt's house four our final course; ubi kayu rebus celup sambal.

Well, that's about it. My family no longer live in that house, it's half torn now. The house where we live now is fully made of hard, cold pieces of rock (so to speak), with neighbours I never get to know. And the only flood of the year was when it's raining, and a four-wheel vehicles passing by pushing brown, dirty water into our porch. My bro though are still very protective of me, would never play with me or share our silly jokes again.

Time has changed, so do we people. I definitely missed that moment. I know it would not come back, but the memory I have, I treasure for as long as I shall live.