Lost kid

Yesterday my family had dinner in an outdoor restaurant, celebrating my nephew's birthday.

On our way out, suddenly there was this four year old kid tagging along. So my brothers and sister started asking, where was your mom and dad? The kid did not say a word and there was no adult part from my family.

So my family stopped. My brother returned to backtrack our route, trying to find the kid's family. He did not return until he found it while the rest of us waiting patiently with the kid.

The kid was returned to his family. We went home.

Happy birthday, ji. You have a good loving family.

Read More...

Summary only...

How can you call yourself good?

[Bahasa Indonesia]
A friend asked. Let’s call this friend A him and the other B her, for the sake of this conversation. A and B used to be friend, but not anymore. It was a heated separation. (and I am being modest in my use of words).

Basically A thinks B is a snake, and the feeling is mutual. Different animal but on par. So friend A said to me, “How can you call yourself good when you are still friend with her?”

Good question, I thought. Well, first of all, I never call myself good. Second, is it wrong to make friend with those who are considered to be snake by more than one person (to say the least)?

I actually discussed this with the snake herself, I mean, B, without refering specifically to A. I said, “perhaps that is because I believe that you will not bite me”

She responded, “You should not say that. That is called arrogance. Instead, you should say because you don’t have any bad intension against me.”

She was right. I don’t have any bad intension and therefore, God’s willing, it is safe to play with the snake. Even the snake has its wisdom.

Read More...

Summary only...

SMS

[Bahasa Indonesia]
I received an sms today. A cousin of mine, his child died in the womb, before birth.

I don’t know what to say. I remember once a friend ask what would be one of the things that I fear most and I answered, “to see my children die before I do.”

I don’t know why I said such thing. I don’t have a child yet. I can only imagine. Actually, I probably cannot. And I hope I will not. Ever.

.hope you are well.

Read More...

Summary only...

The King Inside

And without further ado, the second one:

The King Inside

There are people with their eyes open
Those hearts are shuts. What do they see? Matter.

But someone whose love is alert,
Even if the eyes go to sleep,
He or she will be walkng up thousands of others.

If you are not one of those light-filled lovers,
Restrain your desire-body’s intensity.
Put limits on how much you eat
And how long you lie down.

But if you are awake here in the chest,
Sleep long and soundly.
Your spirit will be out roaming and working,
Even on the seventh level.
Muhammed says, I close my eyes and rest in sleep,
But my love never needs to rest.

The guard at the gate drowses.
The king stays awake. You have a king inside
Who listens for what delights the soul.

That king’s wakefulness
Cannot be described in a poem.

Taken from Coleman Bark's A year with Rumi, daily readings, June 17th, p195.

Read More...

Summary only...

Beyond Love stories (2)

The first of the two Rumi's poets. For those who observe the fasting of Ramadhan. And those who walk a similar path of cleansing the soul.

May we obtain more than just hunger and thirst.

Beyond Love stories (2)

You risk your life to feed desires,
Yet you give your soul only short grazing spans,
And those grudgingly.

You borrow ten and repay fourteen.
Most of your decisions can be traced back
To cuisine and sex.

The fuel basket goes from one stokehole
To the next. Six friends hoist
Your handsomeness and carry it
To the cemetary.

Food changes going from table to latrine.
You live between deaths,
Thinking this is right enough.

Close these eyes to open the other.
Let the center brighten your sight.

Taken from Coleman Bark's A year with Rumi, daily readings, June 16th, Page 194.

Read More...

Summary only...

Info: Sustainable home furnishings design competition

Double click for bigger picture.

Read More...

Summary only...

Note: The pearls of living in peace (By Arif Rachman)

[Bahasa Indonesia]
The note was made during Pak Arif's speech in the comemoration of my sis's mother-in-law's passing.

Pak Arif opened his speech by stating the usual “Assalamu alaikum wr wb. Shawalat and salam..“ and followed by saying “prayers and peace be upon all of us, especially to the host of this event and to our teachers.”

A verse in Al Qur’an urged us to fast so that we can become the person of faith (takwa). Takwa should be the end, the destination of our journey.

That is why we are given clues, a key to heaven named Al Qur’an, whose first verse contains an order for all of us to read (iqra). Not just plain reading, read to understand, to do, to make it part of our personality and a tool for all of us to live in harmony.

This state of harmony is something that we should work on. There are five pearls to living in peace, in harmony:
1. Remember Allah, in every second of our lives.
2. Conduct everything without expecting anything in return, ikhlas. Pak Arif said that if we want to learn the word “ikhlas”, the best teacher is our mother.
3. Shalat. Pray. In shalat, we are reminded of our mission in life, in the prayer “indeed, my shalat, my life, my death is only for God.”
4. Be patient. Patience that is accompanied by our obidience to God, a lot of good conducts and night prayers to ask for forgiveness.
5. Be thankful. Pak Arif said that nowadays people are much better in complaining. Endlessly. Where in fact, our complaints can close the door to what He wants to open for us.

Complete note (in Indonesian language) can be downloaded here.

Read More...

Summary only...

Note: On fasting (by Bapak Memed)

[Bahasa Indonesia]
This note discussed about the foundation of fasting, which is QS Al Baqarah (2):183-188, and the its objectives. There are three objectives in fasting:

First: takwa - to increase the quality of the person, to become a person of real faith, those who maintain himself (from wrongdoings), who seek to be closer to God, who fear God (acknowledge God as the higher power) and who feel like he is being watched by God.

Second: syakirin – to be thankful. To realize what we have all these times, to accept, to take care and to utilize them well.

Third: rasyidin – to live a clean life, the correct way of living.

These verses, especially the one that talk about alms giving, are also emphasizing the social value of fasting. So that we do not forget those who are less fortunate that we are.

So that we will not create a weak future generation, physically and mentally – there should be improvements in nutrition and education. If not us, who else?

At the end of our fasting, the real test is to evaluate our lifestyle after Ramadhan, the way we talk, the way we act and how we use our wealth.

Have a great fast. I apologize for all my mistakes. I sincerely hope that we can improve ourselves to the “takwa” level, and not just feel the hunger and thirst.

Complete note (in Indonesian language) can be downloaded here.

Read More...

Summary only...

True colors

You with the sad eyes
don't be discouraged
oh I realize
it's hard to take courage
in a world full of people
you can lose sight of it all
and the darkness inside you
can make you fell so small

But I see your true colors
shining through
I see your true colors
and that's why I love you
so don't be afraid to let them show
your true colors
true colors are beautiful
like a rainbow

Show me a smile then
don't be unhappy, can't remember
when I last saw you laughing
if this world makes you crazy
and you've taken all you can bear
you call me up
because you know I'll be there

And I'll see your true colors
shining through
I see your true colors
and that's why I love you
so don't be afraid to let them show
your true colors
true colors are beautiful
like a rainbow

.happy birthday.

Read More...

Summary only...

Message of the week: pray

[Bahasa Indonesia]
The message sometimes seem to get subtler by the day.

This week has been one busy week for me. A couple of days ago, a passer-by in my old blog left a comment. Somehow she (I presume, a she) advised me to pray, because prayer has such great power.

Yesterday I realized that my driver’s license was not where it usually was. I kept thinking about it but could not bring myself to remember what I did with it.

You see, I have a habit to not bring a bag and put my ID card in the bag of whoever was with me at that moment.

This morning, as I was leaving the house, I asked You-Know-Who to let me remember. Suddenly my mind wondered to my sister.

I tried to remember when the last time I went out with her and I did not bring my bag with me. Owh, that one evening in our home town. Now, where exactly did I put the ID card? Hm, the camera pouch.

It just so happened that I have that very pouch in my bag. I took it out of the bag and looked inside. There it was. My driver’s license.

I felt like He was saying, “…all you have to do is ask...”

Read More...

Summary only...

(Traffic) Jammin'

[Bahasa Indonesia]

Today the street is really 'jammin'. My usual commuting time of 3/4 hour has turned into 3 to 4 hours.

My thought goes to Sutiyoso and his plan to build a bus way on this very street that I was stuck in, turning the two-lane street (one way) into one-lane. That would be the day.

But traffic jam is always a good training ground for me. It makes me aware of the fluctuation of my (im)patience. And tonight was no mean an exception.

I can hear people honking impatiently. All looking very tired. Eager to get home yet having no clue how to get there (sooner).

I saw a young couple with a young child riding a motorcycle sharing one raincoat. And I think of those who do not even have proper cover from the rain.

I saw another child at the gas station playing happily with his mom, probably glad to have the five minute break after the long ride.

I saw the fried rice street vendor getting more customers than he usually does.

And I saw my house. Feeling happier to see it than I usually do.

It was also one of those on-the-road moments when I thought, hm, bathroom would be good.

Read More...

Summary only...