Benjamin Couldn’t Say Goodbye
“Suddenly, unexpected, he went away. Could I know it before, I’d never miss the chance to see his shows on TV” so said Ita, a teenager while her younger brother said, I prefer to be a Benjamin, rather than a minister. He is more loved, remembered by the people”.
“What would you do if you knew that tomorrow is Doomsday?” asked Pak Arif. Ita fancied herself: spend all her money, eat the most delicious food, ice cream, pray for forgiveness, pay off all her debts, and eh, … marry her “prince”.
“When St. Fransciscus was asked the same question, he said that he would just continue to plough his field, and do his daily chores as is his wont.”
“Why doesn’t he want, wish, as other people would if they could know the last day of their life?” asked Ita.
“Then it would be too late.” Said Pak Arif. “I imagine St. Franciscus knowing that he never could know the time to say farewell so every time there’s an opportunity he is doing the best thing he should, could do. He has, does already all what he wants. He wants nothing more.
“He can’t recover, undo, wipe away, what had passed, had happened. He can’t hasten his life, eat more, see more, read more,... Moreover, you can’t “eat up” all your riches except as much as your daily meals, your daily reading, daily joys, … Any day could be his last day. It’s now, today, not tomorrow.
“Everyday he eats the nicest, best food, though it’s just simple fare, the coolest drink, though but plain water, anytime he wants to pray, he prays, he never wasted his time to no purpose. He isn’t resentful, hostile, even birds aren’t afraid of him, so they say. He’d lived well, perhaps poor in the eyes of people, yet never could he have lived a better, “richer” life.
“Well, would you postpone your marriage with your “prince” till a day before your last day? What do you think?” So asked Pak Arif.
Ita kept silent. “True, don’t be a fool, don’t wait, postpone, delay doing, what is best, most likable for you, in order not be too late and be sorry. Benjamin, anyone never has the opportunity to say goodbye.” So she assured herself.
From Jayakarta, September 20, 1995
January 2011
“Suddenly, unexpected, he went away. Could I know it before, I’d never miss the chance to see his shows on TV” so said Ita, a teenager while her younger brother said, I prefer to be a Benjamin, rather than a minister. He is more loved, remembered by the people”.
“What would you do if you knew that tomorrow is Doomsday?” asked Pak Arif. Ita fancied herself: spend all her money, eat the most delicious food, ice cream, pray for forgiveness, pay off all her debts, and eh, … marry her “prince”.
“When St. Fransciscus was asked the same question, he said that he would just continue to plough his field, and do his daily chores as is his wont.”
“Why doesn’t he want, wish, as other people would if they could know the last day of their life?” asked Ita.
“Then it would be too late.” Said Pak Arif. “I imagine St. Franciscus knowing that he never could know the time to say farewell so every time there’s an opportunity he is doing the best thing he should, could do. He has, does already all what he wants. He wants nothing more.
“He can’t recover, undo, wipe away, what had passed, had happened. He can’t hasten his life, eat more, see more, read more,... Moreover, you can’t “eat up” all your riches except as much as your daily meals, your daily reading, daily joys, … Any day could be his last day. It’s now, today, not tomorrow.
“Everyday he eats the nicest, best food, though it’s just simple fare, the coolest drink, though but plain water, anytime he wants to pray, he prays, he never wasted his time to no purpose. He isn’t resentful, hostile, even birds aren’t afraid of him, so they say. He’d lived well, perhaps poor in the eyes of people, yet never could he have lived a better, “richer” life.
“Well, would you postpone your marriage with your “prince” till a day before your last day? What do you think?” So asked Pak Arif.
Ita kept silent. “True, don’t be a fool, don’t wait, postpone, delay doing, what is best, most likable for you, in order not be too late and be sorry. Benjamin, anyone never has the opportunity to say goodbye.” So she assured herself.
From Jayakarta, September 20, 1995
January 2011
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