When was the last time you sing your National Anthem?

When was the last time you sing your national anthem?

Before this morning, I can’t remember. I just did this morning, on my son school.

After almost half an hour nonstop praying over traffic from our place to his school, I made it with a note. My husband couldn’t find a parking space so he have to drop me off, drove my daughter to her daycare, and picked me back at Kemang. It's worth sacrifices.

I was 3 minutes late for my son Friday assembly, for witnessing his first time performing on Friday assembly that shouldn’t be missed by his mum. I tiptoe inside assembly room, all kids were sang very familiar Australia song I can’t remember the title, seeing big grin on my son face, grabbed a chair and sit down. Someone else chair. Silly me. It’s an embarrassing moment when I realize that the person politely waiting for me to move and I did not realize, until someone pointing at empty chair next to her. I wish the Earth swallowed me in one big lump!

After moving three-seat down and prepared my camera, I tried to focus on what happening on the stage. Performance started, kids act and sing “The Bear Hunt” song they rehearsal in the last few days. My son did great, he turn himself as a sign bearer, with big “Beware of oozymuds” written on a big manila carton he hold.

Couple of minutes dancing and acting and singing, Friday assembly was nearly finish. Before the children back to their room, we all standing up singing two national anthems. First was Advance Australia fair –of course, this is an Australia School- and then Indonesia Raya. And here comes the drama begin.

Singing Advance Australia Fair wasn’t kick me onto something, this morning just like the usual Monday morning when I dropped my son on his old school back in Sydney, and the had Monday assembly, with national anthem. Parents who stayed join the children and sang together. But when we started to sing Indonesia Raya, I didn’t realize I started to sing and my mind was somehow flown to my childhood memories of singing this national anthem every Monday morning, I was singing to loud. Very loud. Louder than others. And didn’t understand why everyone looked and starred at me annoyingly. I get so carried over, and tears were flowing on my cheeks, leaving a kind of mascara marks, and I foolishly still sang so loud and cried in the same time, until one lady next to me handed a tissue. Goodness Me!

When the song finished, and I still busy wept my eyes, my son walked towards me from the stage he been standing the whole morning. I hug him, whispered that I am so proud of him, and kissed his check. My son whispered something in reply: “Thanks for coming, mom. Glad you made it, but next time when you coming for assembly, please don’t sing and cry in the same time. Nobody’s mom do that, it’s embarrassing me”.

He waved me goodbye, I guess he will be famous from now on, the boy with a crying and loud singing mum.

Who ever think that National Anthem effect can be that marvelous?
I will raise my hand.