2020, Some Twenty Years From Now

2020, Some Twenty Years From Now

Willingly, gladly am I to travel the road that must be trodden by all living beings. Just in 2015 many of us would have passed away, those who are now young, strong and active will be old, but I still have a lot to know, to see, to hear to express my thoughts, my feelings, ... To tell about this age and send my greetings to people far-off in the future.

What about internet? My grand-grand children perhaps aren’t going to school, college, university anymore, or to their office as they could do it by internet, while my grand-grand child now isn’t yet born. What a lot could be saved on time, transport, books, paper, teachers, lessen traffic jams, air-, noise-pollution and more. They could perhaps communicate in any language via a standard language similar to changing money to any foreign currency via the dollar.

What about the progress of medical science in fighting cancer or AIDS? What other kind of deseases haunts mankind? Would it be better to give birth by Cecar operation and determine the date of birth and gender instead of a natural birth or by giving birth to a baby as small as a thump or in a lab?

I also want to know the progress in Volley Ball and Basket Ball that are monopolized by very tall players. Will there be a classified system according to stature to ensure the chances, opportunities for relatively short players? I wish I could see the World Cup, the Olympic Games, World Boxing, Tennis in 2100 and a lot more.

Then what about the age of my grand- grand-, grand-, … children in the far future? How nice to be able to space-travel to other planets and meeting other planetarians. Yet, though impossible to turn back to the distant past or to the very distant future,- which according to Stephen Hawking is possible -, I still can visit these in my mind, even to the day the universe was born and doomsday when the world would collide or become cold and all life would be extinct as the sun would slowly be cooling down.

Now, this is the trouble, how to write the things that would cover so many books in a short reader’s letter?

Yet, why complain about a short, limited life? I’m not only grateful for the joys, happiness, but also for the adversities, failures, misfortunes, suffering, disappointments. “What’s happiness, joy if there weren’t sorrow, sadness”, said a Chinese philosopher in olden times.

I’m grateful for having to say farewell.

As life must come to an end, life becomes so dear, so near, so warm, so precious as precious and dear as the close of a beautiful song, or a wonderful story. It’s a tear, the pearl of gratefulness. And I imagined eternal life, eternal happiness, I don’t wish it. Would you?

From Jayakarta, January 14, 1998

February 2011

Liz

Liz

Suppose she would succeed to win the Nobel Prize as Neher/Sakmann or an Oscar as Jessica Tandy on her 80^th year or a world ranking of number one in tennis or even got the pride, happiness of Sir Edmund Hillary, when he subdued Mount Everest; perhaps she would consider these events as trivial compared to winning a young husband for the 8^th time (!). That was what she probably most wished for and made her so very happy.

As in a fairy tale, her dream became true October 6, 1991 in the Michael Jackson ranch, Neverland, Los Olivos, California, where her marriage took place. So it was reported.

Certainly, an incredible feat to be proud of, how to keep herself young, captivating, fascinating and beautiful though at an age of over half a century and still be able to subdue, conquer, win a young husband instead of Mount Everest.

Liz, you’re “never too old to be young”.

From Media Indonesia, October 16, 1991

February 2011

Till You Find Your Dream

Till You Find Your Dream

Climb ev’ry mountain,

Search high and low,

Follow ev’ry byway,

Ev’ry path you know,

Ford ev’ry stream,

Follow ev’ry rainbow,

Till you find your dream.

These are admirable sentiments, I told Pak Arif after playing “The Sound Of Music” on my cassette recorder.

Pak Arif smiled and responded, “How many times have I failed to realize my dreams. After failing so many times, I found … he whispered …was just another girl of my dreams. Nonetheless, am I the happiest man in the world, without having had to climb mountains, cross rivers, or search till the end of the world. What if your dream already has a husband or dies in an accident? Why should one pine, regret and harbor thoughts of suicide after failing just once? What a sad and somber world it would be if there were only one ideal woman or man in the whole world predetermined for each one of us?”

“Ah, such a one, perhaps only lives in the imagination and heart of an artist. Only someone – foolish, crazy or stupid, Si Upik interjected – would be wasting his or her life searching incessantly till they find their dream, supposedly specially created for them.”

“Who among us has not unearthed his or her dreams? Many students would be very proud to study at our state universities, but most fail the preliminary exams. Nonetheless it doesn’t mean that the non-state universities are necessarily of poor quality. My friend tried to qualify for entry into medical school. He failed but was accepted for agriculture studies, a field he subsequently enjoyed very much.”

“Suppose I married the first girl of my dreams, I’d have another wife, other children; my life would be different and not necessarily happier. I wouldn’t exchange my woman for the apparition of my former dreams, nor would I shun my present goals and desires for the former.”

“Well, are you sorry with yours?” whispered Pak Arif playfully. I smiled. His is a fine speculation too. What would you say?

The Jakarta Post, February 12, 1999

February 2011

The Congea

The Congea

Certainly, the orchid is excellent, exquisite, yet love I the congea more. She looks like an orchid, soft purple colored, a beauty with inner winning ways that doesn’t come to the fore-ground. Warm, rich in full bloom, so fair as a veil up in the air. so charming as a crown adorning a woman's hair.

And I remember the Edelweiss on the Gede mountain, so beautiful that I wish I could hand a branch of it as a bouquet to my bride.

February 2011

Angon

Angon

Today have I angon-ed (herded, tended) my dogs, yesterday my rabbit, in earlier times my children. Angon is a great joy. I remember a Chinese painting, painting the happiness of a boy just in his trousers, sitting on a trunk of a tree, playing his flute, his slippers below and his buffalo wallowing in a pool near him, I also remember the lovely sound of the flute in the song, ‘Der Hirt Auf Dem Felsen’ (The shepherd on the rock) by Schubert. So do I know the happiness of shepherds and the beauty of the flute. Otherwise wouldn’t have I a share in these joys.

February 2011

It's The Money That Has Got Smaller

It’s The Money That Has Got Smaller

Buyer: “Well, your croquettes are becoming smaller now.”

Seller: “What you didn’t see is that the money that has got smaller and smaller.“

February 2011

A Delightful Misunderstanding

A Delightful Misunderstanding

“Perhaps you seldom saw fireflies when you were still a boy” so said opa Johan to his son who was driving in Jakarta in bright city light.

“Certainly I did, when I was very tired. My bike repeatedly jumped on the track during a mountain-bike race and I almost fell.”

What was he talking about seeing fireflies on a repeatedly jumping bicycle. Then I talked about taking video with him of crickets chirping in Monas Park . Then suddenly he laughed: “I thought you were seeing fireflies on your bike far into the country.”

“I intentionally did not mention your queer answer, as I thought that you must be a little deaf as your pa and ma are now.”

“Certainly am I not deaf. Ha, ha.”

Opa Johan was sad that fireflies will be extinct someday, so he talked about it.

But he would comfort you. “Just hit your eye(s) and you would see fireflies dancing, flying and shooting, falling stars in front of you in broad daylight. Ha, ha.”

That’s what Indonesians mean by seeing ‘kunang-kunang’ or fireflies.

February 2011