At the Bus Station

Crowded. Messy. Smoky.

I just arrived at the bus station. As usual, people and buses were crossing over the street. It was really crowded. I sighed and asked to myself: is it possible to change the bus station condition? Is it possible to straightened up this crowded? I sighed again.

Then I stopped the red cab. This was a public cab. You could get in with other passengers and paid the driver to bring you to your destination. I sat in that little cab and took my green mask. I have to stick that mask into my half-face and cover my mouth and nose. This was Jakarta, a crowded-messy-smoky city. You should have a mask to protect yourself from poison air.

I let my face glanced toward the west. I saw red has been covering the horizon. That was twilight. Then I smiled with closed eyes. I was forgetting all things I hate.

Did I Change?

An old buddy sent me text messaging in an afternoon.

 

Ass diLLa,9mn kbr’y?CoRry ney 9ang96u reunian t9L 28’y Jd 9 ceY? [Bahasa version]

Hey dilla, how are u? Sorry to disturb u. Shall we hold the reunion on 28? [English version]

 

I set my brow furrowed. OMG, I didn’t understand what did she mean to me? She used a strange typing style and I didn’t like it. Then I replied her SMS.

 

W3. Reunian apa? Aq ga dpt pemberitahuan, Coy. [Bahasa version]

W3. What reunion? I didn’t get the notification, Coy. [English Version]

 

FYI, at the first time I thought the SMS came from my friend whose name Cory alias Coy. Because she typed ‘corry ney’ (look at the first SMS) on the first SMS. Then I knew she was not Cory but Mae. LOL. What kinda friend I am? Umm, frankly, sometime I didn’t save some number of friends in my main cell phone. I saved them in my second (CDMA) cell phone. So it aint freak anymore right after reading this paragraph, huh? [note: some of this blog’s readers would say what freak, huh? What freak?]

Mae sent me SMS again.

Ini dilla kan? Bhs’y aneh… [Bahasa version]

Is this really dilla rite? You have weird language… [English version]

 

What? Me? Bizarre? Strange? LOL. Did I change? More serious? More funny? Yeah friend, buddy, this is me. Let me know which part on me that really change. What kinda of change? Bad into good or in the contrary?

Haha, well, I have some friends who told me this also. They said I was changed. Ya, ya, I changed. I was being woman, okay. I should be more mature. I was not a child anymore. Then, did you, my friends, feel so awkward to me? Just because of this change? Oh come on… LOL. We are human, buddies. We would change into the bigger and better part. We would take on higher part, rite. Just take it easy. Just take it slow.

Try to understand that I'm
Trying to make a move just to stay in the game
I try to stay awake and remember my name
But everybody's changing
And I don't feel the same. [everybody's changing- Keane]

Hurt

‘Don’t worry, D. I’ll be fine. Just cannot connect to internet for a while.’

That the last text messaging I had accepted from the one that I know as my lover and we’re in love one another. I set straight face to see his message. After that day, I tried to not call him either via cell phone or internet. I just tested him, was he really love or not. But finally I knew that he never would call me anymore. NEVER. Because he was engaged with someone.

ENGAGED. That what I read on his Facebook. Then I felt something hit me on the heart which was really hurt. Hey, somebody, tell me why?! Actually, that news would never really a problem to me if he have told me at the first or when he started off falling in love with another girl. He was ENGAGED and he never would told me until I asked him. Such a ridiculous, huh. Then he was lying me when I asked him whether he loved me or not. Then he was lying me when he talked anything honestly. Then he just fooled me. Hey reader, give him applause, please.

HONEST: only this what I wanted from him or from any men who loved me. If you have no feeling to me, just say NO. On the other hand, say YES if you were really in love to me. To be hurt by HONEST is more I like than by LIE.

Well, this is just my useless article to be read. Just leave the comment box if you were sick with this article. Okay, back to smile coz I felt breathing again after writing this one.

Hijab and Your Hair

One day on Ramadhan 1430H, I’d been invited to a breakfasting party in Sushi Tei in Plaza Indonesia. As we know, sushi is one of popular Japanese foods. Unfortunately I don’t really care to this food. The taste is unfamiliar in my tongue. After all, I tried it, just to fulfill my curious and just to pay homage to my boss who invited me into that restaurant.

Continuo to condition of break fasting at Sushi Tei, No many people came to there, just around 10-13 persons. And most of all are VVIP yet me, who just a volunteer. And also, I was the only one who used hijab there. Actually, I am also the only one muslimah who uses the hijab in the office, then I proud of it. Okay, then break fasting is still continuing. We, my volunteer friends and I ordered well done sushi, yet when I ate them; it tasted strange in my tongue. I didn’t know why, may be I didn’t used to eat Japanese food. And when I talked with my two volunteer friends (one is Indonesian and another is American), my hijab was in disorder. Some part of my hair fell out into forehead. And more than once my friends told me about that. Especially my American friend, she said, “DILA, YOUR HAIR!!” then I felt ashamed by that. I also felt moving emotionally by that.

Okay, about Hijab and hair, I believe every single of Muslim knows about this hijab rule. Hijab is an obligation for adult woman. As Allah has commanded on Qs. Al-Ahzab: 59

O Prophet! Tell thy wives and daughters, and the believing women, that they should cast their outer garments over their persons (when abroad): that is most convenient, that they should be known (as such) and not molested. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Why Kindness Matters

By. Noname

One day, when I was a freshman in high school, I saw a kid from my class walking home from school. His name was Kyle. It looked like he was carrying all f his books. I thought to myself, ‘Why would anyone bring home all his books on a Friday? He must be a nerd.’

I had quite a weekend planned (parties and a football game with my friends tomorrow afternoon), so I shrugged my shoulders and went on. As I was walking, I saw a bunch of kids running toward him. They ran at him, knocking all his books out of his arms and tripping him so he landed in the dirt. His glasses went flying, and I saw them land in the grass about ten feet from him.

He looked up and I saw this terrible sadness in his eyes. My heart when out to him. So I jogged over to him as he crawled around looking for his glasses, and I saw a tear in his eye. As I handed him his glasses, I said, ‘Those guys are jerks? They really should get lives.’

He looked at me and said, “Hey thanks!” There was a big smile on his face. It was one of those smiles that showed real gratitude. I helped him pick up his books, and asked him where he lived. As it turned out, he lived near me, so I asked him why I had never seen him before. He said he had gone to private school before now. I would have never hung out with a private school kid before. We talked all the way home, and I carried some of his books.

He turned out to be a pretty cool kid. I asked him if he wanted to play a little football with my friends. He said yes. We hung out all weekend and the more I got to know Kyle, the more I liked him, and my friends thought the same of him.

Monday morning came, and there was Kyle with the huge stack of books again. I stopped him and said, “Boy, you’re gonna really build some serious muscle with this pile of books everyday!” He just laughed and handed me half the books.

Over the next four years, Kyle and I became best friends. When we were seniors we began to think about college. Kyle decided on Georgetown and I was going to Duke. I know that we would always be friends, that the miles would never be a problem. He was going to be a doctor and I was going for business on a football scholarship.

Kyle was valedictorian of our class. I teased him all the time being a nerd. He had to prepare a speech for graduation. I was so glad it wasn’t me having to get up there and speak.

On graduation day, I saw Kyle. He looked great. He was one of those guys that really found themselves during high school. He filled out and actually looked good in glasses. He had more dates than I had and all the girls loved him. Boy, sometimes I was jealous! Today was one of those days.

On that day, I could see that he was nervous about his speech. So, I smacked him on the back and said, “Hey, big guy, you’ll be great!” He looked at me with one of those looks (the really grateful one) and smiled. “Thanks,” He said.

As he started his speech, he cleared his throat, and began talking.

“Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you make it through those tough years: Your parents, your teachers, your siblings, maybe a coach…but mostly your friends. I am here to tell all of you that being a friend to someone is the best gift you can give. I am going to tell you a story.”

I just looked at my friend with disbelief as he told the first day we met.

He had planned to kill himself over the weekend. He talked of how he had cleaned out his locker so his Mom wouldn’t have to do it later and was carrying his stuff home. He looked hard at me and gave me a little smile.

“Thankfully, I was saved. My friend saved me from doing the unspeakable.”

I heard the gasp go through the crowd as this handsome, popular boy told us all about his weakest moment. I saw his mom and dad looking at me and smiling that same grateful smile.

Not until that moment did I realize that moment did I realize it’s depth how my small act of kindness could really make a difference in my friend’s life.

So, never underestimate the power of your actions, even the small ones. You will never know the huge impact they may have on your or others. With one small act of kindness you can change a person’s life and yours too.

PS. This note is an email forward from friends and also published on a PPIA News on July 2009.

I'm Alive

By. Lia Amalia (2009)

-I’m Alive-

I was about to jump

When I saw those little eyes

Full of…aarrgh…

Can not remember

Then I sat, stared at him

He, with a sack of news on his hand

Still on white-red outfit

Ran..happily when somebody called him

Then smile…

Not so far, a man

With a sweat, dark, tired face

Hoe on his hand..or with a bare hand

Struggle against stones, bricks, concretes

His eyes…

Full of…aarrgh…

What’s that?!

Can not found..

Then he smile

A giant rock seemed to hit my heart

Open it

Suddenly, I heard a sound…so peaceful

Never heard since a long time ago

People ..piety..pray

Greet each other

Smile each other

O, those eyes

Full of…

Full of…

Yes yes

Those eyes full of parents, children, friends

Full of God…

Allahu Akbar!!

I knew it,

I got it

Life is worth

Life is a gift

So people on a duty to give that gift away

So They fight for life

Sometimes for the other’s

Even they have nothing to share

Smile enough for a strength

To make their life worthier…

Life, a dark cave

As we move on we’ll find a light

We must find a light!

I’ve found my light

So I stand, turned around

And jumped into my precious life.

GIVE YOUR LIFE JUST TO ALLAH

By. Betty Wijayanti

Some months ago, I always felt my life so bad. I didn’t feel that I was still alive, although I still walked around in the world, ate, and did many things as usual. But, my heart had been die. Sometimes, I knew my false but my heart was so difficult to feel that. I just knew, I was in the right position. Usually, we would feel ‘I’m all right’ when actually we were sick.
The point was I didn’t care bout anything else.
You know why?
It was just because of I didn’t get something that I wanted. Something that I believe it be comes the true at the time. Because, I had found the best way to get ’something’ that I wanted. Then, all of things had to end. And Everything was not clear to me….
This tragedy gave some effects to me some months more. I was so lazy to do everything, I said to ALLAH that ALLAH didn’t love me and etc.
But, alhamduLillah…..at the present, all of things are finished. ALLAH has give His guidance to me. I become enjoy to do my life….I hope, I can learn more with the experience…..

The Rusty Knight

By. Dwi Setiadi (translated)

Had you ever heard a story about the Rusty Knight? It isn’t the real knight but his persistence makes the name of knight proper for him.

It’s said, once upon a time, a man studied in a country. He came from a far away village. He had strong curiosity to study and improve his life quality. And also he had wiling to distribute any kindnesses to people. He’s not really clever, but also not too stupid. He’s too enthusiastic to study everything.

Then he entered into the world of politics. He’s so confident to participate in that world because of his background of his political activities in his village. In short, he got success in this politics world.

Later times, he lost without any notifications. Until one day he came back into this country to be an official of government. His friends shocked for this news. They wondered why he could be an official after his hiatus for long time. Ya, that because he did something worth in his hiatus. He made magnum opus. So because of that he’s called back to his country and gave contribution to the people.

This is a wise story. The man worked hard to be the knight. He loved to study and had willing to contribute something worth to his country and the people. And the one important thing is he did these things with all of his heart and soul.

Life is Worth

By. arhsa (translated)

Life is worth. We can see on the philosophy of pencil.

First, it always accompanies the owner to help him making some notes. Second, it feels hurt when it’s sharpened. But it becomes sharper and useful by that. Third is the pole. The pole is the most important thing of pencil. Broken pole is no problem. Because it can be sharpened again to get the sharp pole. Fourth is easy to erase. Yup, the pencil scratch can be erased and corrected easily. And fifth, the pole of pencil should be sharpened to make scratches.

Life is worth. Let’s look into ourselves.

First, our life will be more meaningful when we always associate with God. Second, any disaster or calamity or hurt or test or load will make us more mature and wise. Third, the most important is our heart. Fourth, any mistake and failure are the tools to motivate us to struggle more and more. Fifth, always sharpen ourselves, our hearts, our feelings and our souls. Then some great works will be appeared although you’re died. Your life is very worth because you’re created with great goal.

HOW WORTH OUR LIFE IS

By. Reny Shintawati

Taking the analogy of human’s born, we know that when a woman just bears a baby, the father whispers adzan to the baby’s right ear and also iqomat to the left ear. And then, the baby grows up being an adult till the time that Allah determines. When, the time comes, everyone will die. They have to be prayed before being buried. Kullu nafsin dzaaa iqotul maut.

The important reflection of that analogy, is that our life is not long. The period is like among adzan, iqomat and shalat. It is very short, isn’t it? However, do we realize that our life is as short as that? And what we have done to make our life meaningful?

We do not live alone in this extremely big world. We have family at our sweet home, friends, teachers, neighbor and many more. Can we give something useful to them? Khairunnas anfa’uhum linnas (Al Hadits). The highly better human is who can be useful to other people. We need not think that we have to be a big one to give something useful, but we need think to be a great one. Even the street sweepers, do wonderful thing to make our environment clean. However, be the best truly us and give many to people. Many ways we can do. We can share our knowledge and experiment through teaching. We can do some social activities. We can participate in improving the country, and many more. We do all for our religion and country, even the world, for the better life. Do not let our life runs in vain. Our life is too valuable to do nothing. We can get happiness by being useful.

So, what will you do next to be the great one? Have a nice life, friends.

How Worth Life is

By. Rose Febrian Ciptaning

Well, for me it’s depend on how you face this life, how you shape it and of course how you make it worth.

Life is a gift that Allah gives to us, a gift that each human only feel it once in a time. There are two options to run this life, first with fun things and the second is with important things.

For those who run it with fun things, they will do many things but I’m not sure it’s important thing to do. Indeed, those who run important things not only get pleasure but also fun things. Why??? Because important things can make someone feel needed, or even give the best from the person.

Talk about life is talk about you become a real person not a dead body, a person who can give advantages in every his or her single step. If you are human, you will appreciate life by doing something useful, know what he should do in life and for what he is created. What we can do in this life???

Well there are much things that we can do start for simple thing until big thing. The most important point is how useful our act to others, such as a smile. Smile is a simple thing that we can do in life but it doesn’t worth if we give smile in inappropriate time. Smile when someone get unlucky day, smile when someone lost his or her precious thing.

Because of life only happened once in time, don’t waste it. Be a good person who loyal with Allah is a right decision, from that we can get good life, good friends, good husband or wife and of course we learn to understand how worth life is.

So, how worth life is………………

untitled

By. Mel

Take your time to really see. Many people spend million to make their heart beat again, to get back their life. Don’t waste your life coz u only have once chance.

What Life Really is

By. Krishadi Nugroho

For me life is when…

…I have no money left on my wallet

Luckily I have enough credit on my hand phone to make a call

I : hallo mom, I have no money left so can you send some money to my account by ATM near you?

Mom : ok honey, I’ll send it on my lunch break

I : thanks mom

Mom : Ok

…I am hungry

I just go to the dining room and eat with good

Drink good drink from the refrigerator

Have some good fruits and any other cake that I like

Or else I just simply buy what I like

…Time to sleep

I just go to my warmth room

took my self into a nice mattress

Close my eyes with have to afraid of cold or rain

For me life is when…

…I have no money to buy anything

I sell newspapers on the train from morning till dawn

I sell drinks to the public transportation passengers

I sing all day under the traffic lights

…It’s time to eat

I’m still thinking whether I have got something to eat or not

I think I’ll eat tomorrow if it’s possible

I buy one portion of a meal and eat it with two of my other friends

…It’s time to sleep

I can sleep every where

In the alley of a street

Under a bridge

In front of a store

Or any other place I meet

Life is a Gift

By. Muharrik

To my friend Dila. Happy Birthday to U

How worth life is

Life is a gift. A human’s life on this earth is Allah’s choice, and we as his servant have no choice. Like it or not we have to accept this life with gratefulness! Just like we cannot defy death we also cannot defy life.

We are free to choose in this life but our choice may not necessarily be liked by Allah except if we follow what he wants, but Allah does not leave us without guidance. He equipped our life with alQuran and Sunnah and all his rules so that we can live with full respect and in a civilised way, as his servant before being bestowed with paradise that is as broad as the earth and sky.

This is Allah, the most merciful and beloved!

As servants we should realise that life on this earth is not a playful thing and not taken seriously. Age that is bestowed by Allah is not long. Age is a pleasure and its worth is immeasurable and something that we cannot waste and the worth of our life are being destined by age itself. Age is our capital to collect our profit in eternity (akhirat) later on.

Most of us do not realise how important it is for us to plan our life so that our life can be used solely for Allah in order to get his blessings. In life, age is the worth of a human being and this is where we need to know our concept on how important it is to have a clear and strong personality with a clear mission and vision in our life.

We belief in Allah with a true belief and know that the beginning of a human life is from world our mother’s womb, then into this world, then to the world of the dead ( alam barzakh) and finally to eternity (alam akhirat) where our life ends.

We should be afraid about this situation because there are lot of responsibilities that we have neglected, especially with only a little time left as we aged. Age is a mystery for us and with this mystery we should set it in motion from now so that we will not regret later. We do not know when and where Allah will end our life after which definitely there will be rewards and punishment that we will receive according to our doings.

According to Hassan Al Basri, time is divided into 3:

1. Yesterday which is no longer ours

2. Tomorrow which is not yet ours and may not be ours

3. Today which is still in our hands

Use time fruitfully. Insyaallah

Happy Birthday.

How Worth Life is

By. Dwi Rostia Wijayandari

The answer is Life has material and immaterial values.

The material values of a body is the whole part of the body itself, hands, feet, eyes, skin and organs. Today, you can calculate the value of your body. My body’s value is US$403.1931119999999, can you imagine that?! The healthier a body is the more value is. The price is cheap, isnt? Don’t get it wrong, it’s not the price when you sell your part of body or organs, but it is transferring the value of your body health. Somehow, our body can be important to somebody else.

To know how one’s life is worth you must put the death as the reflection, sacrifice, murder, suicide and accident, you judge yourself of how worth life is. To me, life is worth, I believe, but to find out how it can be worth is the most difficult task for me. Everyday, I ask my self what can I do to make this life better for myself, family, friends and world? Do I find the answer? No, and maybe I never will. But, the show must go on,I keep walking in my temporary emptiness and say, life should be faced with Wiseness so I decide what my life for and what I could be, a wise person. The Value of human’s life is the value that you create yourself not the career you have and not the richness you have.

I can simply see and say that our leader’s life is worthless, if he’s failed to be the leader but I can simple conclude if the life of the street trash collector is highly worth because he cleans the trash off the streets everyday with a responsible. So, it’s not the status you gain but the value that you put on yourself that makes you worthy. Don’t be proud of doing your responsibilities but be proud when you can do more than your responsibilities.

Alive

By. Istiana Nurmaulidawanti

Can you ever imagine, my love..

If one can see the place would be die..

Will all the flowers get black..
Will all the folks shutted..

Can you imagine, love..

If one can see the time would be die..

Will all the ticks get stopped..
Will all the morning passed..

Can you imagine, love..

If one can see the soul would be die..

Will all the friends get fall..
Will all the love end..

So, my love..

Will you standing still..
Will you understand..
Will you promise..
Will you remember..
Will you see..
Then..
Will you help..

There’s a life brighter in the dark..
There’s a life smoother in the reef
And there is a life colder in the firebomb..

That is why we call it ‘alive’..