Today's Quote

"If it's dark enough, you can see the stars."

Be The Change That You Want To See

I just wondering tonight about something and I've been thinking sometimes, there are times when I don't like some figures I meet in my life. I often demand others to be as what I want to see. I expect more from people to treat me as I wish.

Then I realized, before we blame others and wondering why they become such, maybe it's a good thing if we contemplate for a while about it.

First and foremost, I try to think in a positive way, everybody have their own reason for all the things they do. They have their own personal life history that made them as someone you see.

Second, maybe I have a different perspective from them that makes me wonder the way they behave. Maybe I'm the one who's right, and maybe they're the one who's right. Even though I think and I think again that I was right, then I think it's best for me trying to sympathize those who mistreated me. They might didn't have a good understanding toward others or they might have a problem, or they're just become emotional at the moment. We become emotional sometimes, don't we? And vice versa, it might be me who become emotional so then I see everything is not good or I might have a problem that lead me to think that I was being mistreated, or it might be me who don't have a good understanding toward others. Everything is possible.

"People are the same, it's just their perpectives are different. And the situations too." - Choi Seo Yoon in the Empire of Gold movie.

"People always think that they are different. But in the end, they shall lied in the graveyard side by side." - Choi Min Jae's father in the Empire of Gold movie.

There's a good advise I remember from Quraish Shihab, a well-known Indonesian Islamic scholar / pious, he said the best way to respond others in a difficult situation, you may say :

"If you were right, then may Allah forgives me for my mistaken. If I were right, then may Allah forgives you for your mistaken." 

It is quoted from a hadith, but pardon me I haven't find the original reference.

Third, as a moslem we should never blame Allah SWT for everything that happened to us. If Allah put you in it, then Allah will help you through it. Allah never gives any trial bigger than our capability. And Allah knows the best for us.

I believe every problem has its own solution. When we don't like someone who mistreated us, I figured out there are a couple of ways to deal with it. First, change your perspective. Try to place your self in their position, see every posibility that made them behave as such. Here, you act as an investigator. Collect all the facts that lead to the situation then connect them together. Hence, you may have an assumption of what actually happened.

Second, once you find out what's going on, you may talk to them from heart to heart to find the best way to solve it. Communication is the key, some people say. Do not make a frontal encounter at the time you know that the situation is bad. It may worsen the situation. Find a time when everyone is cool to talk easily. Remember, just do not say bad things when we're upset. 'Cause we might regret it later. (I experienced it many times of how fool I was, then I felt sorry about it.) Try our best to hold our anger, avoid arguments that lead to nothing. It doesn't matter who win or lose, there's no point of winning or losing in a bad situation. The important thing is to clear misunderstanding.

Third. If all the ways don't work, you couldn't find anything to solve the problem, then maybe the best solution just to let it be as it is. My sister ever told me, do not stir the turbid water. You won't see anything. Wait until the dirts settled, then you will see clear water. When people forget, maybe they will forgive. Let the time answer what we cannot.

Maybe some occurrences in our life happen to make us a better person each day. Or maybe it happens in order to be a lesson for others. Or else. I'm not sure either, I keep wondering from time to time for all the things happened and for some I couldn't find any answer.

Anyway, a few days ago I just watched a Korean action film played by Lee Min Ho, one of the most well-known Korean actor lately. The drama title is City Hunter. It's a quite famous action film, the story was adapted from Japanese comic "Tsukasa Hojo". There's a scene where the hero in this film told his father that he doesn't want to take revenge the way the bad people did to him. He avoided to create another person who's going to feel as bad as him when mistreated by others. He might be a victim, but he has his own ways to return the bad deeds with something better.

Well by the way it's true that I've been spending my time recently with Korean movies, so I blabber a lot about it. Please pardon me for enjoying the time with movies. ;D

One of my friend suggested me, whenever I feel down, try to find a way to comfort yourself. Don't stuck in your problem, give yourself a time to relax. The key is you have to feel good first before solving the problem. It could be many ways. You may cry as long as you would if that makes you feel better, you may scream out loud, you may eat as much as you can take, you may take a trip to a far far away, you may watch movies, or you may just sleep as long as you wish, anything but screwing up yourself. Just don't let yourself drown thinking over and over about one matter that bothers you. Just forget it for a while. As for me, my runaway stuffs would be coffee, cakes, meaningless movies, funny movies, silly books, and sleeping. Those are my guilty pleasures. ;P Well, I do cry sometimes, when I can't take it anymore. But since I like laughing, I will find any silly movies after crying. I'm not that serious, in fact I like being around with people who have a good sense of humor. :D


Back to solution. Once you're set in a better mood after relaxing yourself, there you may start thinking how to solve one matter after another. This is just one of the way that may be good to try. I'm sure there're many other ways to solve your problems. As a moslem, I keep remembering this verse from the holy Qur'an :

“And seek assistance through patience and prayer…” [Al-Baqarah 2:45]

Last but not least. You may try this as well. There's a quote saying "Be the change that you want to see". So, if you don't like being treated bad then try to treat others well. If you don't like being abandoned, then try to care more. If you want to be helped in times of hard, try to be the one who helps those who needed. If you don't like being yelled at, try to speak gently. If you want to be loved, then embrace the heart.


Some says that wisdom comes from experience. I like to write words of wisdom, but I'm not a wise person. I may be good in theory, but I'm as flaw as most of the people in the world. I just feel better when I write, I write for myself. So then one day when I forget who I was back then, hopefully I can find myself again through my journal.

The Empire of Gold

I just finished watching 24 episodes of a very thoughtful Korean Drama called "The Empire of Gold". The film tells about a story of some people who fight against each other to get the highest position in a huge company. Those people sacrifice everything in their life in order to take over the company after the owner passed away. Those who struggled were the ones that very close to the owner himself, which are his wife, his children, and his nephew. Even the people around him that used to help running the company, also eager so badly to reach the golden seat.

The company owner, Choi Dong Sung, even didn't know that his wife, Han Jung Hee, was marrying him for 27 years with a plan that someday she will replace the position. He just knew it when he was about to die. She could bearly hold the ambition within herself without anyone knowing by showing somewhat like a sincere looking face to the whole family. Choi Dong Sung has three children from the first wife, and then he married again to the second wife which is Han Jung Hee, after the first one deceased. Han Jung Hee has one son from her previous husband that she brought secretly into her new family by making them believed that the son she carried was her son with Choi Dong Sung. Her motive that drives her to chase the highest seat is to take revenge for the lost of her previous husband that caused by Sung Jin Group, Choi Dong Sung's huge company. She's able to act like she really likes the people in the family by showing kindness in front of them though she hates them the most.

At the first match of getting the highest seat, the match was occured between Han Jung Hee, Choi Dong Sung's youngest daughter named Choi Seo Yoon, and Choi Seo Yoon's cousin Choi Min Jae. Then the other person from outside of the family, Jang Tae Joo, suddenly came as well to get the position. The fourth of them have their own motives in getting the position. Han Jung Hee as mentioned before, she wants to take revenge of the lost of her previous husband. Choi Seo Yoon, the owner's daughter, also has her own motive. She thinks that she is the one who deserves and has the right to get the position because she is the heir of her beloved father, so she has to protect her family's wealth no matter what. Choi Min Jae, the cousin, has his own perspective that lead him to think that he also has the right to own the company since his father is the owner's brother. And the last fighter Jang Tae Joo, his own motive arose from the death of his father that caused by the company as well as happened to Han Jung Hee's husband.

By the time they're struggling, their greeds have blinded them to distinguish between the good and the bad. Each and one of them don't have any conscience anymore toward others around them. They only want to win that they would do anything to get rid others who might become obstacles. Sometimes when people chase for gold, they forget people around them and everything they already have. Until all those precious things in their life gone, they just realized that they lost everything by the time they reach the destination which what-so-called success. This what happened to those four people who fell for money and power.

Han Jung Hee lost her precious life time for over 27 years for her never ending revenge and greed. Thus she lost to spend time together in happiness with her only son, Choi Sung Jae. Her son kept asking her to stop from doing whatever she was doing, and just leave Sung Jin Group family's big house together with him somewhere they can spend their life with smile and laughter. But she didn't listen until her son went to jail, became the victim of her own greed. Then she regrets it 'till finally she faced the death and realized everything is too late, yet she didn't have anymore time to spend.

In the other hand, Choi Min Jae is not different either. He lost his wife, his father got to jail to help him covering his faults, and by the end he had to suffer himself in prison as well. Though once he won the position of chairman, he still didn't satisfy when he had to left the position. With his greed he still want to have the glory as long as he could.

Jang Tae Joo, the ordinary man who came from poor family, had successfully climb up the life status to top managerial position in the company with his clever brain. And he's able to enter the Sung Jin family's big house by marrying Choi Seo Yoon, although it's just a deal marriage for business purpose. Yet he still not satisfy, at the time he swam deeper and deeper to dig the gold, he got blinded as well. He committed a murder by accident and also responsible in giving order to demolish a building which caused several people injured and one death. Not only those, he also lost his girlfriend, Yoon Seol Hee, the one who used to support him. The good thing is by the end he realized he had lost everything. Might be trigger by the situation that put his girlfriend in danger and no matter what he still loves her, with his conscious mind he returned everything. He gave up all the things he had and return to his home taking care the family. But maybe due to unbearable guilty and sin, which in fact he has killed several people, in the end of story he decided to jump off the cliff to the deep ocean.

"Well... I'm not going to heaven. I don't know anyone in heaven anyway. It's true that Sung Jin Group household is hell. But Seol Hee...if you survive hell... then that place will become heaven." — Jang Tae Joo

Finally Choi Seo Yoon, the heir to the throne. She won the competition to own most of the company shares, thus it gives her the power to rule the company. She's not taking it for granted, she throw her life and every little things she had to struggle. Since the company established by her own father, she has the right to own it. Now we know that it's not an easy thing to maintain things that already built than to start it from scratch, even it's been settled and we just need to run it accordingly. Although Choi Seo Yoon has a good intention actually to save the family's inheritance from outsiders, but she made a hard decision to get rid of her other siblings from the battle. She's indeed had a choice to divide the power equally, but she couldn't do it in order to win the majority of company shares. It might seems that she won the battle, but in fact she lost as well as the other three people. Nobody wants to be with her because she looks horrible to others. At the end, the winner stands alone, just like Paulo Coelho said.

"Only when they are discriminated against, they demand equality. When they're discriminating, equality is brothersome isn't it?" — Choi Seo Yoon

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At the first seeing this film, I wasn't interesting at all. I really don't like the film setting that looks old fashion, from the furnitures to the clothes. And even more, the expression and gestures of the role players are too stiff, extremely serious and tense. But my mom kept telling me to watch it because the story is very good, disregard all the film settings and expressions.

Then I realized she's right, this film is really good. You must watch it yourself. It's a very thoughtful drama with meaningful scripts. The players also fused with the roles, they played the characters well. They didn't move that much, only by playing face expressions they could draw the mood. It's not an easy one to understand, but once you do, it will teach us many good things about life.

I keep thinking more and more after watching this serial drama. I could barely see that even in reality gold blinded people just like Goblin in The Lord of The Ring movie, who keeps saying "my precious.. my precious.." when seeing the golden ring. In the end the precious ring vanished in the volcanic mud and as well as he, jumped off himself to the mud after the ring. The precious turned Goblin to nothing.

"Some people smile even they're in hell, but you walk around looking for gold even in heaven." — Yoon Seol Hee

Seeing Han Jung Hee role's in this movie that amazingly she could have double face, the true one full of grudge she hid for herself and the other one appeared nice to people, makes my mom said that in reality this kind of people might exist in this world. But though you really don't like someone, don't treat them badly. Because you never know today they might be your enemy, but the other day they might be the one who could help you. Just becareful to this kind of people, keep a distance from them, not too close not too far. Close enough to see what they're look up to. Sometimes we need to come up with strategy to face different kind of people. That's what my mom advised.

I salute Choi Seo Yoon's role, the daughter of the company owner that several times had made some tough decisions. Despite her coldness leading the company herself without any sensitive emotion, she still have heart towards others. She didn't take revenge to Han Jung Hee who treated her badly before. She didn't repeat the same act when she was prevented by Han Jung Hee to see her father in hospital at the end of her father's life. She still let Choi Sung Jae to meet his mother, Han Jung Hee, for the last time of her life. Even she promised her that she would take care of her son as her own brother and give him a good position in the company. She did that because she doesn't want Choi Sung Jae to feel the way she feels being treated bad.

Not many people can do this. Only those who have a heart of a king that could forgive and return the bad with good deeds. Only those whose heart as wide as an ocean.

If I'm being asked whether to live the life as Choi Seo Yoon's living in the empire of gold, I don't think I'd be able to do it. It's not the kind of life that I want to live. I found some nice quotes here which draw nicely the idea of a simple and modest life that I've been imagined. Hope we can find a real happiness from what we already have.

“So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservatism, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more dangerous to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future. The very basic core of a man’s living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun.”
— Alexander Supertramp (from 'Into The Wild' movie)

"I have lived through much, and now I think I have found what is needed for happiness. A quiet secluded life in the country, with the possibility of being useful to people to whom it is easy to do good, and who are not accustomed to have it done to them; then work which one hopes may be of some use; then rest, nature, books, music, love for one’s neighbor — such is my idea of happiness."
— Leo Tolstoy (Family Happiness and Other Stories)

"There is pleasure in the pathless woods,
There is rapture on the lonely shore,
There is society where none intrudes,
By the deep sea and the music in its roar;
I love not man the less, but Nature more."
— Lord Byron

“Hapiness is real when shared”
— Christopher McCandless

Mengingat Kematian

Baru aja denger kabar salah seorang kawan di grup backpacker telah berpulang ke Rahmatullah karena penyakit kanker otak... Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’un...

Agak-agak ga percaya karena beberapa waktu yang lalu kami sempat berkomunikasi, ga nyangka ternyata secepat itu tiba-tiba udah ga ada aja. Umur manusia memang tidak ada yang bisa menebak, dari yang sehat tiba-tiba bisa dipanggil kehadirat Allah SWT. Siapa yang bisa menyangka kapan kita akan menghadapi saat-saat akhir. Jika mengingat kematian, rasanya tiba-tiba semua yang kita miliki di dunia ini tidak ada artinya. Karena kita meninggal tidak membawa apa-apa, hanya malaikat maut yang akan menanti.

Dulu waktu ayah saya meninggal satu setengah tahun yang lalu, saya juga rasanya seperti tidak percaya. Karena sehari sebelumnya kami baru saja saling kirim SMS untuk menanyakan kabar. Juga seminggu sebelumnya pun tidak terlihat sakit, benar-benar sehat dan bugar. Benar-benar tidak menyangka, maut itu datang tiba-tiba. Baik kita sehat, ataupun sakit, sendiri maupun dalam keramaian, dalam usia muda atau tua, bisa begitu saja datang menjemput.

"Di mana saja kamu berada, kematian akan mendapatkan kamu, kendatipun kamu di dalam benteng yang tinggi lagi kokoh." (An-Nisa`: 78)

"Dan tiada seorang pun yang dapat mengetahui di bumi mana dia akan mati." (Luqman: 34)

Karena itu ada sebuah nasehat bijak mengatakan, banyak-banyaklah mengingat kematian yang akan memutuskan segala kenikmatan dunia - sehingga itu membuatmu condong pada kebaikan dan menjauhi kemaksiatan. Mengingat kematian juga akan melapangkan hati di kala sempit, dan mempersempit hati di kala lapang.

Saya jadi termenung sendiri, tiap kali mendengar kabar mengenai kematian. Bagaimana jika itu adalah kita sendiri suatu hari nanti, seberapa siapkah kita menghadapinya, sudah cukupkah bekal kita untuk menuju alam akhirat, sudah sebaik apakah diri ini ketika saat itu tiba...

Dan sudah cukup bersedekahkah kita, sudah meminta maaf kah kita pada orang-orang yang telah kita sakiti, telah dimaafkan kah kita oleh orang-orang yang kita zhalimi, sudah terlunasikah hutang dan janji yang kita buat, telah selesai kah amanah yang kita pegang, sudah berikhtiar kah kita untuk beribadah dengan penuh keikhlasan, telah ridho kah orang tua atas perbuatan kita, sudah bertaubatkah kita atas kesalahan-kesalahan yang telah kita perbuat baik disadari ataupun tidak, sudah memohon ampunan kah kita pada Allah atas dosa-dosa yang kita miliki?

وَأَنفِقُوا مِن مَّارَزَقْنَاكُم مِّن قَبْلِ أَن يَأْتِيَ أَحَدَكُمُ الْمَوْتُ فَيَقُولَ رَبِّ لَوْلآ أَخَّرْتَنِي إِلَى أَجَلٍ قَرِيبٍ فَأَصَّدَّقَ وَأَكُن مِّنَ الصَّالِحِينَ . وَلَن يُؤَخِّرَ اللهُ نَفْسًا إِذَا جَآءَ أَجَلُهَا وَاللهُ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ
"Dan belanjakanlah sebagian dari apa yang telah Kami berikan kepadamu sebelum datang kematian kepada salah seorang di antara kamu; lalu ia berkata, 'Ya Rabbku, mengapa Engkau tidak menang-guhkan (kematian)ku sampai waktu yang dekat, yang menyebabkan aku dapat bersedekah dan aku termasuk orang-orang yang shalih?' Dan Allah sekali-kali tidak akan menangguhkan (kematian) sese-orang apabila telah datang waktu kematiannya. Dan Allah Maha Mengetahui apa yang kamu kerjakan." (Al-Munafiqun: 10-11). 

وَلَوْتَرَى إِذِ الظَّالِمُونَ فِي غَمَرَاتِ الْمَوْتِ وَالْمَلاَئِكَةُ بَاسِطُوا أَيْدِيهِمْ أَخْرِجُوا أَنفُسَكُمُ
"Alangkah dahsyatnya sekiranya kamu melihat di waktu orang-orang yang zhalim berada dalam tekanan sakaratul maut, sedang para malaikat memukul dengan tangannya, (sambil berkata), 'Keluar-kanlah nyawamu". (Al-An'am: 93). 

وَجَآءَتْ سَكْرَةُ الْمَوْتِ بِالْحَقِّ ذَلِكَ مَاكُنتَ مِنْهُ تَحِيدُ
"Dan datanglah sakaratul maut dengan sebenar-benarnya. Itulah yang kamu selalu lari daripadanya." (Qaf: 19). 

Satu hal yang menjadi perhatian saya ketika berita tentang kematian menghampiri, yaitu komentar orang-orang terdekat yang mengenal sang jenazah. Subhanallah, bila mendengar orang tersebut dirindukan banyak orang dan disebut-sebut kebaikannya. Membuat saya bertanya sendiri kerap kali, apakah ada yang akan merindukan diri ini jika telah tiada nanti. Dan apakah saya sudah menebarkan kebaikan bagi sekeliling saya...

Wallahu'alam...


"Ya Allah, wafatkanlah kami dalam keadaan berserah diri pada-Mu ketika saatnya tiba. Dan masukkanlah kami kedalam golongan hamba-hambamu yang Engkau ridhoi.. Aamiin..."

Have We Care Enough?

I don't understand why people put their whole attention and care to those far away from them and they don't even know, while here just a step away from their house some people are suffering.

Why do we care to the war victims that are far from us but to those nearby that might be our own neighbours, our friends, our family, someone we know who are fighting from hunger, struggling to have a place to sleep, suffering from their illness, and many other problems that make them suffering not differently to the war victims in miles miles away, we don't care?

Why we can help them very fast just in a second we can give an aid to those far away, but here within our surroundings for years some people never get help?

Why in the name of cause, people gather with many other people in movements to help, but to those in our own neighbourhood we never even ask if they are okay?

Why people can post in their social medias to get people attention to the war victims, while everyday we clearly see some people are struggling very hard to get out of their problems but we never post anything about that?

Why don't we start to care from the place we live, then our neighbours, then our relatives, then our friends, and then our citizens, before the war victims?

Isn't it irony that we cry out loud for those who are in a pain of war, but seeing everyday some people asking for a food in middle of the rain, in a cold night, in a hot sunny days, with their empty and painful stomach, but we wave our hands with a bitter smile and say no?

Isn't it irony we criticize other people who don't do anything about the war victims, but we don't criticize ourselves who don't give a respect for other people's choice in their life?

Is it careness and help that people ask for every movement cause, or is it something that we seek out for our own sake?

Have we care enough?

Maaf - Memaafkan

Bulan Ramadhan baru saja berlalu dan kini telah masuk bulan Syawal. Alhamdulillah saya masih diberikan umur untuk menjalani hari Raya Idul Fitri baru-baru ini. Bagaimana suasana Idul Fitri / Lebaran kemarin kawan-kawan? :D Semoga menyenangkan ya seperti yang saya jalani bersama dengan keluarga.

Alhamdulillah pada tahun ini saya tidak kena pertanyaan "kapan" dari keluarga seperti tahun-tahun sebelumnya... ;D Sepertinya tahun ini semua perhatian keluarga saya tercurahkan pada si kecil anggota keluarga baru kami, yaitu Aira atau Aya ponakan kecil saya yang sangat imut dan menggemaskan. Hehe. 

Oya sebelum saya lupa, saya ingin mengucapkan Selamat Hari Raya Idul Fitri 1434 H pada teman-teman sekalian dan para pembaca blog yang budiman. Taqabbalallahu minna wa minkum, shiyamana wa shiyamakum. Ja'alanallahu Minal Aidin wal Faizin. Mohon maaf atas perbuatan, perkataan, ataupun postingan yang tiada berkenan, mohon dibukakan pintu maaf yang sebesar-besarnya. Mari kita menjalin kembali silaturahmi dengan awal yang baik, insyaa Allah. :)

Saya jadi ingin berceloteh sedikit tentang perihal maaf-maafan ini. Meminta maaf memang bukan hal yang mudah. Saya sendiri sadar saya punya banyak sekali kesalahan karena keterbatasan saya sendiri. Untuk memulai mengatakan maaf rasanya berat banget, gimana tidak, ketika meminta maaf kita berarti mengakui bahwa kita salah. Adalah orang-orang yang berjiwa besar menurut saya yang berani meminta maaf dan mengakui kesalahannya.

Tapi tidak begitu menurut Tao Ming Tse di Meteor Garden. Katanya : "kalau maaf bisa menyelesaikan masalah, lalu buat apa ada polisi?!?" Hahaha, sedikit nostalgia film lawas dari negeri Taiwan. :D 

Kembali lagi ke soal maaf-maafan. Menurut saya ada lagi yang lebih berat dilakukan setelah meminta maaf, yaitu memaafkan. Baik memaafkan diri sendiri maupun orang-orang yang telah menyakiti. Luar biasa orang-orang yang mampu memaafkan dengan penuh keikhlasan dan tetap berprasangka baik pada orang yang telah berbuat salah. Tapi diatas itu, ada lagi yang lebih luar biasa. Yaitu yang mampu memaafkan tanpa perlu menerima permintaan maaf dari orang yang telah berbuat salah. Seperti halnya Rasulullah SAW, beliau memang benar-benar teladan yang luar biasa. Meski diperlakukan dengan tidak baik oleh seorang pengemis buta dengan kata-katanya yang mengejek, namun beliau tidak membalas bahkan berbuat baik pada pengemis tersebut dengan menyuapinya makanan setiap kali bertemu dengan pengemis tersebut. Hingga akhirnya ketika pengemis tersebut mengetahui apa yang dilakukan oleh Rasulullah SAW, pengemis itu pun sampai menangis tersedu-sedu. Saya sendiri terharu tiap kali mengingat kisah tersebut. :') 

Honestly speaking, saya sendiri adalah orang yang sulit memaafkan. :/ Kalau udah kesal, bisa lama kesalnya. Kalau kata orang Sunda teh, saya ini suka pundungan (suka ngambek). xD Saya memang mesti banyak belajar untuk memaafkan. Benar kata peribahasa, orang yang bisa melupakan kesalahan orang lain adalah orang yang paling bahagia. Bahagia karena bisa melupakan kesalahan orang lain tanpa perlu menyimpan perasaan yang tidak enak di hati.

Ada yang pernah berkata bahwa hati kita itu luasnya seluas samudera jika kita mau untuk membukanya. Meski ditumpahi tinta sebanyak apapun, hati itu tetap lapang dan jernih kembali. Asik ya jika kita bisa seperti itu.

Saya jadi ingat film korea "I Hear Your Voice" yang baru-baru ini saya tonton. Di film itu seorang ibu menasehati anaknya untuk tidak membalas perlakuan buruk dari orang lain, layaknya sebuah peribahasa, "an eye for an eye will make the whole world blind." Ibu itu tidak ingin sang anak hidup dengan menyimpan perasaan benci sepanjang hidupnya hanya karena perbuatan buruk dari orang lain. Waktu yang kita miliki untuk hidup saling mencintai saja tidak pernah cukup, apalagi diisi dengan membenci orang lain. Tentu tidak enak hidup dengan menyimpan perasaan membenci terus menerus, benar nasehat sang ibu tersebut. Lebih baik kita lupakan kesalahan orang lain dan berusaha untuk memaafkan seiring berjalannya waktu.

Berhubungan dengan maaf-memafkan, sepanjang Lebaran kemarin saya membaca beberapa postingan ucapan Hari Raya dengan untaian kata-kata yang bagus di jaringan sosial media. Saya ingin berbagi disini beberapa quotes atau kutipan yang saya simpan yang berhubungan dengan permintaan maaf.

"The first to apologize is the bravest,
the first to forgive is the strongest,
and the first to forget is the happiest." ― Unknown

“To forgive is to set a prisoner free
and discover that the prisoner was you.” ― Lewis B. Smedes

"dan hendaklah mereka memaafkan dan berlapang dada. Apakah kamu tidak ingin bahwa Allah mengampunimu? Dan Allah adalah Maha Pengampun lagi Maha Penyayang. ― (QS. An-Nur : 22)

Ada satu lagi permintaan maaf yang tidak boleh kita lewati, yaitu meminta maaf pada Tuhan atas kesalahan-kesalahan yang sering kita lakukan, kewajiban yang terlalaikan, dan tak terhitung banyaknya dosa yang sadar maupun tidak sadar kita lakukan. Semoga Allah SWT mengampuni dan memaafkan kesalahan-kesalahan kita yang telah lalu dan yang akan datang. Aamiin...

Yuk kita saling memaafkan dan jalani hari bersama dengan keceriaan yang baru. Let us forgive each other so that Allah may forgive us. :)

Arti Kebahagiaan

Happiness is not a destination, happiness is a journey.

Saya baru saja mengisi beberapa pertanyaan dalam sebuah buku yang sedang saya baca, dan jari-jari saya seketika terhenti di pertanyaan terakhir : "Apa arti kebahagiaan bagi saya?" 

Saya merenung sesaat memikirkan jawaban yang saya cari.

Tidak seperti pertanyaan-pertanyaan sebelumnya yang dengan mudah saya jawab tanpa perlu berpikir lama, yaitu pertanyaan mengenai apa-saja-keinginan-saya yang saya tahu betul jawabannya. Bahkan saya menuliskannya begitu panjang hingga dua halaman. Karena saya tahu betul apa yang saya inginkan.

Tapi di pertanyaan terakhir, apa arti kebahagiaan? Saya langsung terdiam..... hingga melamun sesaat memikirkan jawabannya.

Lalu timbul pertanyaan-pertanyaan dari benak saya sendiri.
Sebenarnya apa yang saya cari, 
apa yang saya inginkan hingga saya bisa bahagia, 
benarkah apa yang telah saya tuliskan sebelumnya hingga dua halaman itu adalah alasan saya bisa bahagia, 
jika tidak ada dua halaman itu apakah saya tidak bisa merasakan kebahagiaan, 
mengapa saya menginginkan dua halaman tersebut untuk bisa bahagia, 
apa kebahagiaan itu sendiri??

Dan sesaat kemudian saya tersenyum sendiri. Dengan sumringah yang lebar seakan seluruh dunia dan seisinya telah diberikan untuk saya.

Ternyata saya sudah mendapatkan apa yang saya cari.



Jawaban saya hanya dua baris :

Arti kebahagiaan bagi saya adalah hidup itu sendiri. 
Hidup adalah bentuk dari kebahagiaan yang hakiki.



Benar kawan, merasakan hidup dengan segala dinamikanya adalah bentuk kebahagiaan bagi saya. Selain senang, gembira, berbunga-bunga, bahkan terharu, sedih, menangis, kecewa pun adalah bagian dari bahagia dengan bentuk yang berbeda. Semuanya satu rasa. Menjadi bagian dari kehidupan ini, sebagai manusia yang dianugerahi hati untuk merasakan, alhamdulillah sudah merupakan kebahagiaan yang luar biasa besar. Apa lagi yang saya cari, ketika kehidupan ini sendiri sudah merupakan anugerah kebahagiaan yang diberikan oleh Allah SWT kepada saya sebagai seorang manusia. Saya seorang manusia, satu insan dari sekian banyak makhluk yang ada di alam semesta ini, diberikan kesempatan untuk hidup dan merasakan dunia dan seisinya yang telah diciptakan oleh Allah SWT dengan begitu lengkap dan indah. Sudah sepantasnya saya bersyukur dan bersujud untuk mengucapkan rasa terima kasih yang begitu besar atas anugerah hidup ini sendiri.

Alhamdulillah...


فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ
"Maka nikmat Tuhan kamu yang manakah yang kamu dustakan?" - Surat Ar-Rahman

Renungan di Bulan Ramadhan

Alhamdulillah kembali kita bertemu dengan bulan yang penuh berkah, bulan Ramadhan. Satu bulan yang di dalamnya terdapat satu malam yang lebih baik dari malam seribu bulan. Sebulan penuh yang dengannya kita diwajibkan berpuasa, lalu berikhtiar untuk memperbanyak ibadah, semata untuk mencari ridho-Nya.

Berbicara mengenai bulan Ramadhan, memori saya seketika teringat akan lagu-lagu Religi yang dahulu sering diputar di stasiun-stasiun televisi lokal. Dari lagu-lagu Bimbo, Chrisye, Gigi, Ungu, Novita Kolopaking, dan banyak lagi, yang menambah kekhusyukan dalam mengingat Sang Pencipta.

Dari sekian lagu yang saya ingat, pikiran saya tertuju pada sebuah lagu yang dibawakan oleh Chrisye dan Ahmad Dhani yang berjudul "Jika Surga Dan Neraka Tak Pernah Ada". Dalam lagu tersebut tersimpan makna yang begitu dalam yang mempertanyakan mengenai keikhlasan kita dalam beribadah. Mempertanyakan niat yang sebenarnya dibalik kekhusyuan kita menyembah Sang Pencipta. Isi lirik ini cukup bagus untuk dihayati, seperti berikut :

Apakah kita semua
Benar-benar tulus
Menyembah pada-Nya
Atau mungkin kita hanya
Takut pada neraka
Dan inginkan surga

Jika surga dan neraka tak pernah ada
Masihkan kau bersujud kepada-Nya
Jika surga dan neraka tak pernah ada
Masihkah kau menyebut nama-Nya

Bisakah kita semua
Benar-benar sujud sepenuh hati
Kar`na sungguh memang Dia
Memang pantas disembah
Memang pantas dipuja


Jika surga dan neraka tak pernah ada, pernahkah kita terlintas apakah kita akan tulus beribadah padaNya? Tulus tanpa pamrih, tulus karena timbul kesadaran dalam diri bahwa kita bukanlah siapa-siapa tanpa Sang Pencipta. Mudah-mudahan dengan ini perlahan kita dapat memahami hakikat yang sesungguhnya dalam beribadah, hakikat yang menjadi inti dari peribadatan, inti dari kehidupan ini. Ketika tiba waktunya, mudah-mudahan pula kita memahami bahwa sesungguhnya tiadalah kita diciptakan selain untuk menyembah-Nya.


اِنَّ صَلاَتِي وَنُسُكِي وَمَحْيَايَ وَمَمَاتِي ِﷲِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
Inna shalaatii wanusukii wamahyaaya wamamaatii lillaahi rabbil 'aalamiin
Sesungguhnya shalatku, ibadahku, hidupku dan matiku hanyalah untuk Allah, Tuhan semesta alam

Foodilicious

I want to share some photos of my meals I consumed while I was in Singapore from 2010 - 2012. One of the thing that makes me always wanted to go back home as often as I could when I was there is that Singapore food doesn't really click with my appetite. To me, most of the food there was tasteless. Compare to Indonesian food which very rich of taste. Maybe it's because their government always suggest them to live a healthy life, and one of the way is by telling people that less salt is better. Seriously? Yes, very much serious. Haha, interesting right? So, everytime I found some nice food or drink, I captured it with my mobile camera. Here are the pictures of my lovely delicious meals I eat in Singapore. Enjoy! :D

Breakfast in my office canteen at Sentosa. I had a big breakfast every morning to fill up my energy. xD

Hainan Chicken Rice, one of my favourite lunch. It's a Chinese local food. Quite tasty. Yummy.

Nasi Goreng Kampong (Kampong Fried Rice). I used to eat it as my dinner in an Indian restaurant nearby my flat. They cooked it with egg and anchovy.

Padang Fried Rice. I used to eat it every morning, the restaurant was near to my office headquarter in Neil Road. I like the chili. Tasted very much like Malay chili.

Cheese and Egg Prata. Aah, I miss it very much! It's so yummy yummy yummy! My favourite midnight snack.

Seafood MuyFun. You can find it in restaurant at URA. I like the gravy sauce. Filled up my stomach a lot. If you want to have it with noodle, without rice, you can order it as Seafood HorFun. The lady there ever called me a BIG EATER by ordering this food. Hahaha. Because no one ordered it with rice! xD

Fried Chicken Rice at Indian restaurant nearby my HDB / flat. The super big chicken really boost my appetite.

Grilled Chicken Rice at Kopitiam Hawker Centre in Plaza Singapura. My friend introduced me this food once because it's quite cheap, since then I started to look for it everytime I went to this place. Highly recommended!

Roti John or John Bread. This looks like martabak telor in Indonesia. The different is they use bread and beef. Again, I eat it in Indian restaurant nearby my flat. Haha, they have various of nice foods there.

Indian Fried Snack. I forgot the name. But it's likely nice to eat too.

Indian Kwetiau. They always put some ingredients which will make the food looks very red. The fried rice more or less looks as red as this too.

Briyani Fried Rice. It's a very famous Indian food. Rice mixed with carrot slices.

Tea Chino from Seah Im Food Centre. This drink tasted like Tarik Tea, it's just more sweet and nicer. I think they put somewhat like chocolate powder or something to make it delicious.

Hot Tea-O. This simple drink used to accompany me at late night after coming back from office. FYI, there are 4 kinds of tea in Singapore. You need to know it before ordering it. First is Tea (tea+milk+sugar) or people in Indonesia called it Teh Tarik. Second is Tea-O (tea+sugar). Third is Tea-O-Kosong or Tea-O-Peng (tea without sugar). And fourth is Tea-C, tea with Carnation Creamer which healthier (tasted like Teh Tarik, but less sweet). These four names also applicable for ordering coffee.

Those are some foods and drinks I like in Singapore. Just so you know, all of them are HALAL. :)
Now I begin starving by looking back these pictures again. Kinda miss eating it, maybe if I gotta chance I will visit this country again. Okay, that's all I got. Hope you like it! :D

One Fine Day

When I'm done with all the things that needed to be done, I want to spend my time doing what I like to do.

Hmm actually, what are the things that I really want to do and could spend the rest of the time with it? Wanna know? :D

Here are the list of the things that I've been dreaming to do :

1. Learning about photography and how to process a photo in a dark room

Dark Room

I like photography, I really like taking pictures with a camera or a phone camera. I want to take a course to learn well how to take a good pictures. And maybe later I can join for some competition and having my works presented in an exhibition. I did it once a few years ago, my photo had been selected for a travelling photography exhibition. I took the photo only with a pocket camera when I went to Ijen Crater in East Java with my backpacker buddies. Haha, never imagine at all I could be selected. And it feels soooo good seeing your photo being presented well in a nice frame. :D Hopefully I can do it again one day.

My photograph was on displayed in an exhibition (the 2nd from the top right).
The photo title is "Serpihan Jiwa"

2. Learning at least 3 different languanges

Mastering other languange gives you more confidence and satisfaction about yourself. I feel good about myself if I can understand other languange. Right now the only foreign languange I know is English. I was quite interested when I learnt it, and using it frequently whenever I could - even just translating a song lyrics, I did it wholeheartedly. I don't have any difficulties in learning languange. So if I have time, I want to learn at least 3 other languanges. Maybe it will be Arab, French, Korean Hangeul, Japanese, and Germany. Just like my father, he understood 4 languanges. It was Germany, English, Chinese, and Bahasa Indonesia. I don't really interested in learning Chinese, though I am half Chinese. :P It's just not cool speaking with a languange which required you to produce a shrilling annoying sound. Haha, no offence. :D Just my two cents. 

3. Travelling or backpacking around the world

That's one of my never ending passion. Seeing the beauty of this world that Allah has created to us. :D I think it's such a pitty if you have time, money, and healthy body but you don't want to see the beauty of the world. So, I promise to myself that one day I must go travelling around the world. Seeing nature, mountain, beach, crater, river, forest, village, cities, civilization, culture, all the beauty things in this world I want to see. You can learn many things from your journey, experiencing new things, discovering something you never imagine, having an unforgetful adventure, meeting new inspiring people, and some people say you can find yourself from your journey. :) And another thing, of course you can hunt and take some good pictures while having your journey. :D Sounds nice, right? Hopefully I can do it with my lifetime partner. Should be a lifetime partner, because I want to spend most of my time doing this. Hopefully the partner have the same desire. :)

4. Learning how to read Al-Qur'an correctly and to memorize it

Al-Qur'an Al-Kareem

I can read Al-Qur'an, I learnt it since I was a kid. I have a very kind private teacher who taught me patiently how to read Al-Qur'an from the very beginning. But I know that I haven't fully learn it because I only had a very short time in learning it and I didn't go to Islamic school at all. I studied in a Christian school since I was in a kindergarden until highschool. I just really started to know Islam when I went to university. So I still need to continue my study in reading Al-Qur'an correctly. And if it's possible, I want to memorize it too as many as I could. I wish that one day I can have a small family who regularly read Al-Qur'an together and share the meaning of it. I wish that I can teach my children how to read Al-Qur'an correctly too. :)

5. Crafting or creating some nice artworks

Since I was a kid, I like to do craft. I have a good hand, I'm good in doing handicraft like quilting, knitting, anything. I like to paint on a canvas too. If I have time, I want to do some nice artworks in my art room. Maybe I will sell it or just collecting it in one room. Expressing yourself in art will make you see the beauty of colors and teach you how to appreciate it. I love art and love being a part of it.

6. Learning how to bake and cook

I cook occasionally, rarely, only if there's a good reason in doing so. I'm very lazy in cooking, because I don't like the mess and the long time required to do it. When someday I have a family, I know that I should be able to cook however. If I may choose, I prefer baking to cooking. Baking is more fun to me. Anyway, if there's a time better I learn both, baking and cooking. So I can feed all the people I love with my own food.

7. Gardening flower, fruits, and vegetables

I have a dream for so long that I want to have a large land so I can gardening many kind of flowers, fruits, and vegetables. Then in the middle I will build a green house where I can do my experiments or just hanging around. And somewhere in the corner or in the middle too it's okay, I will put a gazebo to take a rest alone or together with my family and have lunch while viewing the garden. Lovely, isn't it? :D

8. Doing sports like basketball, swimming, baseball, and martial art

Ever heard in a healthy body there's a good soul? That's true. So I want to keep my soul in a good spirit by regularly doing sports. It's fun and will make your body healthy.

Those are some of the things that I want to do if I have spare time one day. Hopefully, wish me luck!

Stand Up For The Truth

I just watched a very inspiring movie that based on a true story. It's "A Civil Action".

The movie told about Jan Schlichtmann, a lawyer (casted by John Travolta), who tried to defend a small group of people in Woburn area, New England, against a big industry who contaminated the environment by the toxic waste which caused illness to death to several people who lived there. The industry dumped the toxic chemical waste to a nearby river and canal that connected to the neighborhood. Since the houses there certainly using tap water for drinking, so in a very short time it spoiled their immune system.

In the process of defending people of Woburn, the attorney had to spend everything they have to run the case. They needed to fund themselves with everything they have until nothing left, worse they had to borrow a big sum of money and even mortgaged all properties. Their objective was to make the industry admit their mistake and give compensation to the victims as an apology.


But as we know, defending the right thing is not that easy...

Jan Schlichtmann should face the mean and dirty world of court law.

Jerome Facher: What's your take?
Jan Schlichtmann: They'll see the truth.
Jerome Facher: The truth? I thought we were talking about a court of law. Come on, you've been around long enough to know that a courtroom isn't a place to look for the truth.
(conversation between Jan as a prosecutor of Woburn people & Facher as an attorney of defense for the industry)

Then after, he lost the case.

James Gordon: [Regarding the case and the following settlement] Mrs. Anderson, you're looking at four guys who are broke. We lost everything trying this case.
Anne Anderson: How can you even begin to compare what you've lost, to what we've lost.
(conversation between the prosecutors and the victims)

And then Jan began to drown in a debt and even worse, his partners gave up and left him. He's the only one who still have faith to defend the truth no matter what it takes.

In the trial to appeal the case, he tried all by himself with everything left. He didn't give up on the case. As a lawyer, of course he had a chance to earn money from the case he's been doing aside from whether he win the case or not. Facher, the attorney of defense for the industry, did offer him a big sum of money to push him giving up, while waiting for the judge's decision. It's about 10 million grand. But he burnt the offer.

“Rich and famous and doing good," mused Schlichtmann. "Rich isn't so difficult. Famous isn't so difficult. Rich and famous together aren't so difficult. Rich, famous, and doing good--now, that's very difficult.” 

Though he's all by himself, no money, no partner, not enough resources, only idealism and faith he's got, he suddenly found his way by giving up in the last attempt. He collected the witnesses, ask for their testify, and the last thing he's surrendered by writing to the environment protection from government side to ask for a sympathy and a help. Not long from there, the case was opened again, the truth revealed by showing some evidences, and at the end... he won the case!

What I found interesting from the movie is at the last part when Jan had a conversation with a woman who interviewed him about his wealth :

Kathy Bates (the Bankruptcy Judge): Mr. Schlichtmann,? Mr. Schlichtmann?
John Travolta: I'm sorry. Yes?
Kathy Bates: The purpose of these questions is not to embarrass or humiliate you but, rather, to verify the information that you have declared as your assets. 
John Travolta: I understand.
Kathy Bates: Because what you are asking your creditors to believe with this petition. Well...well, it's hard to believe...
John Travolta (with a chuckle): I know.
Kathy Bates: ...that after seventeen years of practicing law, all you have to show for it is $14 in a checking account and a portable radio? 
John Travolta: That's correct.
Kathy Bates: Where did it all go?
John Travolta: The money?
Kathy Bates: The money, the property, the personal belongings? The things one acquires in one's life, Mr.Schlichtmann. The things by which one measures one's life? 
[Long, silent pause with the camera focused on Travolta]
Kathy Bates (sighing): What happened?
[Another long, non-verbal pause and then the screen fades to black]

Later on, Jan Schlichtmann became a well-known lawyer who defends on environmental cases in New England. And though it takes years for him to pay the debt, but one thing for sure is he got his pride and stood bravely for his idealism.

By seeing this movie, I just want to say that no matter what happened, the truth will reveal sooner or later. So do as best as we can to stand for the truth as the truth will defend us one day, and do the right thing while we still alive. Don't sacrifice your idealism for money even it's very hard at the beginning and we will be tested for our own faith. Instead, give all you've got even it takes everything you have to do what you should do.


Wahai orang-orang yang beriman, hendaklah kamu menjadi orang-orang yang selalu menegakkan (kebenaran) karena Allah, menjadi saksi dengan adil, dan janganlah sekali-kali kebencianmu terhadap suatu kaum mendorong kamu untuk berbuat tidak adil, berlaku adillah karena adil lebih dekat kepada takwa, dan bertakwalah kepada Allah, sesungguhnya Allah Maha Mengetahui apa yang kamu kerjakan.
— al-Maa’idah [5]: 8

A Story Behind My Name

Some people say your name represents who you are. Your name is a prayer from your parents when you were born. Since a prayer from parents certainly answered without any barrier, so it becomes a gift to you. I believe it without any doubt.

My parents gave a very nice name to me, alhamdulillah... :) My first name, Mariana, came from my grandmother's nick name when she was a child. She used to be called with this name. Then she got sick from time to time and nobody knows why. Then somebody suggested it might caused by her name. The name might be too heavy for her. So then my great-grandparents add another name to be her new nickname : Sifat. Since then she never sick anymore. My grandmother full name becomes Sifat Mariana Tanjung. She's from West Sumatra, so she has the Minang clan name.

Appearently, might be happened by having this name as well, I got sick or injured more often than my other siblings. I got hospitalized several times, like hitting an aircon when I was a child, got nails stuck in my foot, injured my front head by a classical profile chair when fighting with my brother, got thypus, a few times fainted in school, got food poisoned, having an asthma, and now I've been suffering for tinnitus (a permanent damage occured in my left ear causing a continous soft buzzing sound). I don't know whether the name is giving a burden to me or not, but one thing I know for sure that I still survive until today. Alhamdulillah.. :) Hopefully I don't get any serious illness or injury anymore in the future, aamiin.. 

Anyway, when I look-up on the internet behind the name Mariana, I found a very interesting fact that there's a deepest part of the world's oceans called Mariana Trench. It is located in the western Pacific Ocean, to the east of the Mariana Islands. The sea depth of Mariana Trench is able to submerge the highest mountain in the world, the Mount Everest in the Himalayas. Wow, feeling excited finding something cool exists in this world called with your name. :D

(click on the image above for a better resolution)

The original languange of Mariana comes from Spanish. Maybe it comes from the history of The Mariana Islands that were claimed by Spain in 1668. Spain established a colony there and gave the islands the official title of Las Marianas in honor of Spanish Queen Mariana of Austria.

The meaning of Mariana itself after discovering from world wide web are :

- a family speaker (maybe sometimes, but usually not)

- a sympathetic (incorrect, often being careless :-/)

- kind (well.. :D)

- always blessed (alhamdulillah..)

- decision maker (yes, correct)

- brave (will do whatever it takes to reach determination)

- stubborn (sometimes it's true :D)

- original, not artificial (prefer to be true expressing what I feel)

- unique (many of my friends told me that I'm weird, a freak, whatever -_-)

- has a leader soul (driven to lead somehow, finding it hard to follow and being dictated)

- a risk taker (might be closely to insane)

My last name is Rahman. It comes from my father's name. My father is a muallaf, he converts to Islam before marrying my mother. When he did the syahadat (a convert ceremonial of saying faithfully that we believe that There is no God but Allah, and Prophet Muhammad is the messenger), his name changed to be Abdulrahman Tanara, means God's Servant. This name was given by Buya Hamka, a national ulama (scholar/pious) who founded Al-Azhar in Indonesia. My father is a Chinese, so he has the Chinese clan name Tan, in Indonesia name becomes Tanara.

The Rahman name itself, comes from one of The 99 Allah's Name (Asmaul Husna) : Ar-Rahman, which means The Most Gracious. This name is one of the main characteristic of Allah that we as a muslim always call it in every single prayer. Bismmillahirrahmanirrahim : In the name of Allah, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful.

I remember an Islamic proverb says : Man arafa nafsahu, arafa Rabbahu (whoever know themself, know their God). I hope by writing about my name, I will know a little about myself. By knowing about who I am, hopefully there's a chance insyaa Allah of knowing about our God, no other but Allah.

Then the last thing about my name is my nickname. It is taken right from the middle of my first name, maRIAna. Correct, that's my nickname. I used to be called with the nickname : Ria. :D My mother told me that this nickname means cheerful, came from the original Indonesian word Ceria. She hopes that I will always be cheerful just as my name. Aamiin. :)

Okay that's all a short story behind my name. I hope you get to know me a little bit better. See ya! ;D

Instant VS Manual

These days I've been busy posting things to my other instant social medias. I'm quite routine posting in Instagram, Tumblr, Pinterest, Facebook, and Twitter. It's a lot easier to post things in those instant medias, even I can post from only one application which is Instagram then my posting can goes to other instant medias at the same time. Very practical and saving a lot of time.

What I usually post instantly are things that goes around me at the actual time with pictures. To me it's pretty fun doing it because I like capturing pictures, amateurly for sure :p, then giving a title related to it or a little story about the pictures. I hope you don't call me an alay (Indonesian slang for a teenager tacky acts) by doing it. Hehe.. :D

Well anyway here in blogger, it's kinda funny to me still everytime I said blogger - what do you think when you say a blogger blogs a blog in blogger, quite dizzying right?!? :D Well here in blogger, I really make some time to post something, which I more concern and give attention to. It makes me feel better when I write things that goes around in my mind. I have lots of things in my head that I want to write, I want to share, I want people to know my stories, my thoughts about life, or about anything happening around.

FYI, I'm an ambivert person based on a test I had a few moments ago, telling that I have a potential of being an extrovert and introvert as well. Most of the time, I don't really spend myself being an extrovert. It's a special thing to me when I become an extrovert, it means that I feel comfortable with the situation or the person. When I'm an introvert, means that I still beware of  a situation, still trying to adapt, or finding a distance to get close to. So when I don't really having a good time to be an extrovert, I spend my time here. In blogger. Quite happy, huh? :D

Okay anyway, you can find me on these instant social medias below. Just add me, follow me, and get in touch closely to my actual instant postings. ;)

Being Loved Gives You Strength, Loving Makes You Brave

Yesterday morning I watched a very touching reality show in KBS, Korean TV Station, that's showing about everyday's life of a cancer sufferer. She's a cheerful lady, named Jin Suk, aged about thirty something. When you see her, you won't ever think that she's having a heart and lung cancer, because she loves to smile and looks very energetic. :)

The positive life spirit in her doesn't come just like that. I may say that she's lucky. Aside from her illness, she's having a loving husband who takes a very good care of her. That what keeps her alive I think, amazingly. Everyday her husband cook her some healty food, preparing the medicine, giving massage, having a routine small conversation in the middle of activities, taking her for therapy session, and even more he's doing a construction work with his own hand to build her somewhat like a small pavilion to keep her warm from time to time. And he's doing it all the time by himself wholeheartedly. Oh dear, how envy I am..

And not only that, he even quited from his job beforehand to take care of her. Another thing that makes me amazed as well is that, she looks just like an ordinary woman, even now she lost her hairs due to some therapy I think. But her husband sincerely able to flatter her with words like saying that he's having a beautiful wife, calling her with miss that reminds her of their old times before married, and many others just to cheer his wife up.

I almost shed tears.. :')

It's 360 degrees from what I usually see. My family's not a kind of family that usually show our feelings to each other. We often fight and argue to show our careness, instead of being affectionate. Different family different ways for sure. Well but I prefer those couple's way of showing careness if I may choose, it's more warm and soothing. Isn't it?!? :P

These days when I often think that I better die, I don't wanna live long, I just want to vanish, then suddenly seeing those people wants to live so badly.. I feel a bit guilty. :-/ But hey, they have a reason to live. Well I do as well, of course (sounds like denying, yea right)... it's just that I'm not motivated that well. I'm so sorry dear God.. :'( for still needing small things from this world which could be huge to me. 

Anyway, I remember some inspirative words came from them, which might be what they have been learned from their life and keep them positive : 

"Be happy today to be happy tomorrow. If you happy today, tomorrow you will be happy. If you sad, tomorrow you will be sad." 

"Instead of thinking how many days still left to stay alive, better I think how to enjoy the life as I can."

I just read a proverb of Lao Tzu saying that "Being loved gives you strength, Loving makes you brave", I think it's true. Obviously after watching this TV show. So, keep in love and enjoy the life! ;)

Sesungguhnya Bersama Kesulitan Ada Kemudahan

Beberapa hari yang lalu saya mengalami suatu malam yang panjang. Saya mengalami suatu kejadian yang subhanallah di satu sisi mengalami kesulitan, namun di sisi lain saya menemukan kemudahan yang bagi saya adalah suatu keajaiban.

Jadi malam itu seperti biasa selepas pulang kerja saya menyetir sendiri dari tempat saya bekerja hingga ke rumah, hanya saja malam itu saya merasa cukup lelah dan agak mengantuk. Jarak rumah dari tempat kerja saya tidak terlalu jauh, jika tidak ramai hanya membutuhkan waktu sekitar setengah jam dengan kecepatan saya berkendara. Tapi biasanya di jam-jam selepas pulang kantor seperti malam itu, jalanan cukup ramai lancar hingga membutuhkan waktu kurang lebih sejam untuk sampai rumah.

Kendaraan antik yang tumbuh bersama saya semenjak saya duduk di bangku sekolah dasar hingga sekarang saya bawa ke tempat kerja, biasa saya parkir pas di depan kafe dalam lokasi area tempat kerja saya. Kebetulan malam itu ada salah satu rekan kerja sedang berada di kafe itu, kafe tersebut memang jadi tempat andalan rekan-rekan untuk mengadakan pertemuan atau sekedar berdiskusi masalah kerjaan. Secara fisik bangunan, kafe itu terbuka. Antara kafe dan areal parkir hanya dibatasi oleh railing setinggi meja.

Nah si antik hijau sahabat kendara saya itu jika dinyalakan bunyinya cukup mengganggu sekeliling, it's extremely loud and incredibly close to cafe! Hehe. Karena tidak ingin malu terlalu lama menyebabkan kegaduhan di areal parkir dan menyedot perhatian semua orang termasuk rekan kerja saya, akhirnya saya putuskan untuk secepatnya menghilang dari lokasi. Selama dalam perjalanan ke rumah semuanya lancar, meski agak mengantuk karena cukup lelah hari itu. Hingga saya sampai pada suatu jalan yang seperti biasa padat merayap, seketika si antik hijau mati di tengah-tengah kepadatan. Sepertinya saat itu saya kurang nge-gas dan kopling belum saya pindahkan ke gigi rendah untuk berjalan lambat. Hingga mengakibatkan mati.

Tapi biasanya di kondisi seperti ini, yang sudah sering saya alami, hanya perlu sekali dua kali starter lalu si hijau bisa nyala lagi. Tapi malam itu berbeda. Si hijau tidak mau menyala meski sudah di starter berkali-kali.

Lalu saya terdiam, setengah melamun, setengahnya lagi mengantuk. Saya blank tidak tahu harus berbuat apa. Karena belum pernah kejadian seperti ini sebelumnya. Mencoba menelepon tapi saat itu handphone saya tidak berfungsi. Yang satu kehabisan batere, yang satu tidak ada pulsa. Mulai panik karena sekeliling sudah gaduh membunyikan klakson, di sisi lain keadaan sudah tidak memungkinkan untuk melakukan sesuatu. Tidak lama kemudian, tiba-tiba ada angkot biru muncul memarkirkan dirinya di depan si hijau. Lalu keluarlah si sopir angkot.

Tanpa diminta, si sopir spontan dengan reaksi yang cepat langsung menawarkan bantuan untuk menarik si hijau beserta saya di dalamnya. Tentu saja saya terima bantuan si sopir, dengan takjub dan bersyukur alhamdulillah bantuan datang. Tanpa meminta apapun, si sopir langsung mengikatkan angkotnya dan si hijau dengan tali lalu ditarik. Subhanallah, antara haru dan lega ternyata ada orang yang meski tak dikenal tapi mau membantu tanpa diminta. Sungguh benar firman Allah, bahwa bersama dengan kesulitan ada kemudahan. Fa inna ma’al ‘usri ‘yusra, Inna ma’al ‘usri yusra..

Jalan tempat si hijau berhenti sebenarnya sudah tidak jauh dari rumah saya. Karena cukup dekat, akhirnya saya diantar hingga ke rumah oleh si sopir angkot. Syukur alhamdulillah memang benar pertolongan Allah itu sangat dekat, dan datang dari arah yang tidak disangka-sangka.

Semua kejadian ini memberikan hikmah tersendiri bagi saya. Saya jadi mengerti bahwa saya harus memanaskan si hijau beberapa saat sebelum dibawa jalan, waktu yang singkat memanaskan si hijau bisa membuat mesin lemah kemudian mati. Lalu ketika mati sebaiknya tidak distarter berulang-ulang karena akan mengakibatkan aki soak. Jika tidak bisa hidup juga, kendaraan didiamkan saja beberapa saat untuk distarter kembali. Jika tetap tidak bisa dinyalakan, baru minta bantuan untuk ditarik atau didorong orang. Ketika ditarik oleh kendaraan lain, pastikan gigi dalam posisi netral. Untuk mengerem agar tidak menabrak kendaraan yang menarik, gunakan rem tangan. Jika kendaraan harus didorong, pastikan gigi dalam posisi masuk gigi rendah dan distarter dengan tiba-tiba untuk menghidupkan kendaraan.

Begitulah malam yang mengesankan bagi saya. Semenjak itu saya jadi lebih menghormati keberadaan angkot, meskipun seringkali membuat kesabaran habis karena lambatnya mereka berjalan dan berhenti sesukanya. Yang sebelumnya akan saya klakson berkali-kali, kali ini saya memilih lebih sabar menghadapi angkot-angkot tersebut, jika harus dilewati akan saya lewati dengan baik dan hati-hati. Hikmah satu lagi yang bisa saya petik, sungguh boleh jadi kita membenci sesuatu padahal boleh jadi hal itu baik bagi kita dan bisa jadi kita menyukai sesuatu padahal belum tentu hal tersebut baik untuk kita. :)

Subhanallah, jika kita bisa mengambil pelajaran dari semua kejadian maka hidup ini insyaAllah akan menjadi lebih baik.

Berkah dan Kebahagiaan

Betapa dekat kebahagiaan bagi mereka yang menetapi do’a ini:


”Ya Allah, jadikanlah aku merasa qana’ah (merasa cukup, puas, rela) terhadap apa yang telah engkau rezeqikan kepadaku, dan berikanlah barakah kepadaku di dalamnya, dan jadikanlah bagiku semua yang hilang dariku dengan yang lebih baik.”

Mengingat sejenak sabda Nabi shallaLlahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, “Beruntunglah orang yang memasrahkan diri, dilimpahi rezeqi yang sekedar mencukupi dan diberi kepuasan oleh Allah terhadap apa yang diberikan kepadanya.” HR. Muslim, At-Tirmidzi, Ahmad dan Al-Baghawi.

Betapa sederhananya kebahagiaan. Ingatlah sejenak bagaimana Rasulullah shallaLlahu ‘alaihi wa sallam bergurat pipinya karena alas tidur kasar. Hari ini betapa banyak yang memiliki tempat tidur mewah, tapi hampir-hampir tak pernah ia rasai tidur yang nikmat.

Betapa berbeda. Tengoklah Nabi shallaLlahu ‘alaihi wa sallam. Betapa sederhana makannya. Tak menuntut syarat yang berat, justru jadikan makan lebih nikmat.

Sungguh, ketika engkau tak meninggikan syarat terhadap apa yang engkau reguk dari dunia ini, semakin mudah engkau rasai kebahagiaan. Dan apakah yang lebih berharga daripada ganti yang lebih baik; ganti yang lebih membawa kebaikan atas apa-apa yang terlepas dari kita?

Maka do’a riwayat Al Hakim (beliau menshahihkannya) yang dicontohkan oleh Rasulullah shallaLlahu ‘alaihi wa sallam ini merupakan kunci agar kita mampu bersikap secara tepat terhadap dunia: qana’ah terhadap rezeqi dari-Nya, barakah atas rezeqi yang kita terima dan ganti yang lebih baik (bukan lebih banyak) atas apa-apa yang terlepas dari kita. Sungguh, rezeki yang tak barakah, amat jauh dari kebaikan.

M. Fauzil Adhim