Man Is More Than Is His IQ

Man Is More Than Is His IQ

Working, exercising, it’s learning, it’s no curse, no torture, instead it’s a blessing. Brains exercised become sharp, the voice beautiful, the eye, a better eyesight (Dr. W. H. Bates), the body, vigorous and healthy. While human made things wear out by frequent use, the Creator’s created things become even better.

Stop working, exercising, your physical, mental condition deteriorates. The brain becomes decrepit, the body sick, weak, your legs would suffer atrophy.

When I was about 50, my physical condition was so poor. Running 800 meters was like running the marathon. I wanted to be able to run 2,4 km within 12 minutes, needed for a healthy condition according to Dr. K. H. Cooper which at that time seemed impossible.

Don’t think you ever could do it without exercising, though you’re just 20 years old. Now, on my 60th year my dream came true a long time before and I’m even running the real marathon as far as 42,195 km which I never believed I could accomplish it.

I got no asthma attack, headaches, diabetes, I got a good appetite, without tonics, luxurious food. I sleep without sleeping pills, wear no shirt, only shorts the whole day, I didn’t catch a cold.

Being fit, healthy turns each day into a fine weathered day, each meal delicious, my work light and living a delight.

On holidays my running exercise becomes a far, adventurous, enchanting trip into the country. Following paths, walking on rice field dykes, climb a hill, limestone rock, seeing rambutan, blimbing, jamboe, sawo, … so rich hanging on the trees, have a rest, enjoy my picnic on the bank of a creek, a river, a lake, …

Or wash, wet, refresh my hands, my face with dew while thirst was turning water into a divine drink. Besides, unexpectedly I won a money prize in the Proklamathon (45 km) race of my age group.

And as Adam I wandered in the Garden of Eden that’s just “around the corner” without having to travel to the end of the world. It’s only a pity that it’s slowly becoming extinct invaded by cities, asphalt and pollution.

A deaf, mute man could be trained till he can make a speech. The charming jamu vendor could be trained and become an actress. Though your walking or running is now of a snail’s pace, in five years you could cover Bogor – Jakarta some 60 km.

You’re never too old to improve yourself. Be prepared of falling and ready to get on your feet again. You’re far better than what you thought before.

“Man is more than is his IQ. What do you think?” So said Opa Johan to me.

From Harian Mandala, August 22, 1990

The Cow's Milk Is For Her Baby Cow

The Cow’s Milk Is For Her Baby Cow

“There is a man again, accused for sexual misbehavior, written with a giant headline in a foremost news paper. Sure, there is no woman, could ever violate, rape a man,” said opa Johan to his wife, “Why did he/she say, write, blame it’s a man, a male, instead of a scoundrel? Who is the person who is so prejudiced towards men and exposed all his sins towards the fair sex?”

“So must I bear unwillingly, involuntarily the atrocities committed by those scoundrels. I am ashamed being a man towards you and all women. If the goodness, generosity of a man is praised am I proud without having done anything good or being generous. What do you think if some one says, ‘there again a woman, a wife is caught in infidelity’? How would you feel as a wife?”

“But this is what I really meant to tell you. There’s a very large writing on a billboard in front of the Department Of Health, you know?

(translated from the Indonesian)
The cow’s milk is for her baby cow.
The mother’s milk is for her baby.
It’s as though saying: Too bad, how cruel, a baby drinking a cow’s milk intended for her baby cow, instead of drinking her own mother’s milk. And I think of myself, how impudent, I myself, a man, every morning drink cow’s coffee-milk. And I thought, picture a father cow, drinking a baby's mother milk.

Every time since reading that billboard, when I drink my coffee-milk I’m feeling bad as I think of the baby cow. Every time I eat rice, meat, fruits, gratefully, I remember, honor the grain, the lamb, the chicken, fruit tree, but I intentionally forget the little fool who is preparing a dish for me. Ha, ha, ha.”

So opa Johan teased his wife as he pinched her nose.

August 2000

Want People To Like You?

Want People To Like You?

Talk about your failures.
Talk about your successes?
People would hate you.

May 2009

What Is Philosophy?

What Is Philosophy?

“To me, philosophy are things, thoughts that make me wiser.” So said Pak Arif.

May 2009

Musing On "Skip One Lunch, Save A Life"

Musing On ”Skip One Lunch, Save a Life”

So persuaded princess Anne for collecting donations, to save, aid people starving in Somalia and Ethiop. Meaning if you just skip one lunch (your lunch) and save the money, you could save someone starving there with the money. That’s a lofty thought and so simple for getting donations rather than with getting it through N.B. well organized “hurray-hurray” celebrations as “Live Aid“ through out the world and more successful perhaps, for suffering, starving people.

By skipping one’s lunch we not only save our neighbor but also would feel what it’s like to be hungry, suffering.

In Indonesia there are still a lot of people that are poor and hungry, only not shown on TV to be noticed by the world.

Suppose a family here too skipped one lunch, no, not one lunch but just skipped one spoonful milk each, our dog or cat might share in drinking milk, without having lost almost nothing of our milk share ourselves.

If each one skips just one stick of his satai (roasted meat on a stick) our household servant would equally share in eating very delicious satai.

Skip one outing to an expensive Japanese-, Korean-, American-, Seafood- restaurant and you could present your house maid an extra big bonus on Lebaran (Moslem Feast day).

Oh, there are such a lot of things we could skip then collect, gather the money saved to help the poor, suffering people. Imagine such things to skip as an expensive live show and just see it on TV instead, skip staying in a five star hotel and stay in a country inn, Skip flying in a plane and take the train, or bus, … And what about skipping not just once but many times. Oh what a huge fund could be raised. But alas, there’s no princess Anne who would urge us, Indonesians to do so.

From Suara Pembaruan, May 11, 1991

Memories Of A Volley Ball Coach 3

Memories Of A Volley Ball Coach 3

Before the final match against the predicted champions, the sport’s teachers were asked whether they would play a three or two winning sets match. Our sport’s teacher was absent. As I’m not our sport’s teacher I suggested a three winning sets so as to have the fight as long as possible, before we would be defeated. But their sport’s teacher decided for two winning sets to make short work of us. He had a girl’s and a boys’ team playing in the final at the same time. He, all the officials were convinced that his team would be the victor. They were runner up the year before, a very tall, excellent team. We’d never won from them.

“Nothing to lose! Let them never forget what’s like to fight you, some little David.” Something like that I said to them. They can’t wait to walk, enter the hall but ran, jumped (not stepped) down into the court some 1,50 M below like hunting dogs eager for the game. Each one played as though twice as strong their normal self. And beyond our expectation we were surprised to win the first set. Yet, my boys never thought of winning but a fight as long, as best as possible.

In the second set we were far behind. It was 8 - 13 to ever win this set. Their sport’s teacher, confident to take this set, then finish us in the rubber set went away to coach his girl’s team.

Our few supporters still cheered, while my boys fought vigorously and they - it was almost impossible - slowly, steadily overtook them and won 15 -13, so winning straight sets. How the boys cheered, shouted for joy. When their sport’s teacher returned it was over. This battle was worth more than a champion’s cup, even without it. It was unbelievable, for us and the spectators and the officials. We didn’t believe we were stronger than they are though. We couldn’t ever repeat it another time. That makes it so special. Perhaps their sport’s teacher regretted his decision. Had he but decided for three winning sets, than he would still have a chance, perhaps the outcome of the match might be more probable in his favor.

We later won the overall Jakarta Championships but that’s not worth mentioning, remembering it.

May 2009

The Choir Conductor's Opening Speech

The Choir Conductor’s Opening Speech

In the little town Betlehem
The Savior was born.
In the little church Bethlehem
Diasebad, our choir was born:
Members of over half a century,
Almost uneducated musically
Sharing this little concert with you

So, remember, if something goes wrong!
We’re still so young.
Not yet a hundred years old.

May 2009

War Doesn'h End Unless The Enemy Surrenders

War Doesn’t End Unless The Enemy Surrenders

It’s not a question about “who is right” and “who is wrong” but about “who is weak” and “who is strong”. Then the land, the territory is taken and occupied by the victor. There’s no world police who is so powerful and authorized to stop a war, to prevent a war, to forbid a state to intimidate, to punish another state, to violate, to occupy another’s country. Moreover it’s almost impossible to summon a strong state before a world court of justice if there was one. It’s more probable that a strong state would take the role of a world police, world judge instead of the United Nations.

“Anyone with a little bit of common sense would have known this.” So said someone who is N.B. not a man of politics or statesman.

May 2008

Memories Of A Volley Ball Coach 2

Memories Of A Volley Ball Coach 2

Boys of a secondary school (SMPK 2), more than 30 years ago were eager to play volley. They tried to be allowed to become a member of a well known club. They were neglected, got almost no attention. That’s a way of refusing, rejecting them, since they were too short for volley ball clubs, though they were of normal length. I said, “let us set up, start a volley ball club ourselves.” I took boys of normal height of this school.

How happy they were as they regained their dignity. The volley ball training session was almost conflicting with their school hours, I said, “run immediately after school time to the sport hall - some 3 Km at about 12 o’ clock - as not to be late and you already have a warm up.”

I myself can’t play volley ball and I’m not qualified but I managed to have them play reasonably well with a short two-hour session once a week.

We almost always won during friendly games but there was one team who was runner up in the Jakarta championship the year before who always beat us. They were very tall and the predicted champions of the next season. Then to prepare for this season, I asked the sports teacher of the champion school the year before, - who were now in the senior level - to play against us. We were beaten straight sets, scored almost nothing. I thanked the teacher for willing to play with us of the lower junior level.

When we reached the semi final in the Jakarta championship. I said: “I saw your next opponent play. Don’t be worried. The real opponent, the runner up of the year before is waiting in the final.”

But this was the worst match my boys encountered. It was a team who even were smaller than ours, and seemed so weak, they even came without their sport’s teacher in poor, faded sport shirts and without sport shoes. My boys attacked and they just defended and we couldn’t “kill” them and it seemed they pressed us nearer and nearer to the edge of the abyss. We luckily won but we never felt so beaten by an opponent before. I’ve the greatest respect for that team, (public school SMPN 77) I’ll never forget. When their teacher arrived after the “battle”, he said to our sport’s teacher: “Were I here before to coach my team we would have beaten your team.” Our sport’s teacher smiled, was happy they could survive to meet the coming champions in the final.

May 2009