Jumat, 19 Juni 2009

Stop complaining and be more grateful

I was in the taxi with my friends on the way to mall ambasador last night when I saw an old hunchbacked lady sweeping the street. I said to my friend "oh poor lady". Then he told me a story. Once he was somewhere in Jakarta seeing an old lady collecting plastic bottles and glasses. He asked her the price of plastic bottles per kilogram, and the lady said Rp. 2000/kg. My friend asked her again how many day she needs to collect one kilogram of plastic, and she said 2-3 days. The answer surprised my friend, because a lady could live up until now with an income only Rp. 2000 per 3 days! My friend again told me that the lady was cheerful and she still feel that she's blessed by saying that sometimes the owner of warung tegal before closing their stall provide her with food. She herself has a family, but she does not want to burden them therefore she prefers to work.


The story strikes me on the head and stab me on my heart. Couple of days ago, I had a great meal on one of 5 stars hotel in Jakarta. It was indeed satisfactory yet pricy. After hearing the story, I suddenly calculated that the money I spent on my luxurious lunch could support the lady for months!I feel guilty.


I feel guilty not for my passion on food, but for my ignorance upon those who are suffering. I feel guilty not for my dream in having a glorious life, but for my complaints upon -not so bad- misery in my life.


Hearing the story will not make me stop from my passion on food neither stop me on dreaming about having a glorious life and fighting for it. But, as my friend write on his ym status for couple of days, maybe me, you, us, could start to stop complaining and be more grateful for our life.

reflection

Banyak orang bilang kalo kita itu harus selalu berjalan ke depan...terus...terus...dan terus.... berlari mengejar masa depan yang cemerlang. Begitulah biasanya nasihat orang tua. Semakin lama, persaingan untuk mendapatkan masa depan yang cemerlang itu sepertinya semakin ketat. Semua orang berlomba-lomba untuk sekolah setinggi mungkin, dan mungkin mendapatkan gaji sebesar mungkin. Sepertinya, semua yang kita punya tidak pernah cukup. Normal memang, karena kita adalah manusia biasa.


Semua orang berharap, tujuan bisa dicapai secepat mungkin, dengan cara semudah mungkin. Kayak nyetir di jalan tol aja, ngebut, mungkin mobilnya dibawa 120-140km/jam siapa tau bandung-jakarta bisa dicapai hanya dalam 1 jam saja. Tapi inget, sekencang apapun mobil kita bisa lari, semuanya punya spion. spion ini berfungsi untuk kita ngintip ke belakang, siapa tau ada yang mau nyalip, atau biar gak nabrk kalo parkir. Tapi, banyak juga yang bilang jangan terlalu sering liat spion, ntar nabrak yang di depan. which means, jangan terlalu melihat ke masa lalu biar kita bisa lebih konsentrasi ke masa depan.


Di tengah semua kesibukan, ambisi, mimpi, jadwal padet, ujian, dan lain-lain, kadang kita dah gak sempet lagi noleh ke belakang. future...future...future... itu kata kuncinya. Tapi coba deh menepi sebentar, berhenti sejenak, dan balikkan badan. Kalo dari spion kita cuma bisa liat separo-separo, kalo kita berhenti kita bisa liat lebih luas. Namanya, refleksi. Apa aja sih yang udah kita lewatin dalam perjalanan hidup kita selama ini?


Gak semuanya orang suka melihat ke belakang, karena seringkali tenryata di belakang kita itu ada kecelakaan maut dengan banyak korban jiwa. Tapi kita selamat kan melewati kecelakaan itu? Justru karena ada kecelakaan itu kan kita dapet kesempatan untuk belajar gimana menghindari kecelakaan? Atau ternyata ketika kita melihat ke belakang, kita lihat pemandangan indah, gunung, bukit, sawah, merasakan angin semilir. Membuat kita berpikir bahwa hidup yang kita lalui itu indah bukan? Atau jangan-jangan atar belakangnya pemandangan indah, tapi di jalannya ada kecelakaan. Berarti hidup itu seimbang.


See the mountain and the green hills, absorb the feeling, enjoy the moment. Remember what cause the deadly accident, learn from it, avoid it in the future.Recharge your energy, fill your soul with spirit. Now turn around. what do you see? yes still a long way to go. Now turn your car on, drive it fast but carefully and go for your destination. Next time you feel tired again, stop, and look behind. Best luck for you always.