A Flower
There were beautiful yellow flowers on a vegetable field. But a more beautiful flower was on the bank of a lake, washing, with her little child.
1970
August 2011
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Friday, August 26, 2011
What Were It Your President?
What, Were It Your President?
“Have you heard it?” said opa Johan to his wife. “It is said that our president Yudhoyono is forced to step down according to the will of the people, perhaps the people who hate, do not like him. But he wouldn’t. The NATO forces aided the opposing rioters, forces, by invading Indonesia and bomb the president’s residence in Cikeas. The United Nations and many countries urged him to leave Indonesia. Except China, Venezuela don’t consent to foreign intervention. It is reported that foreign forces secretly join them to fight our ABRI to force our president to surrender as Sadam Husein.”
Wow! Angered, indignent, our people who love and are loyal to our president consider this as a tremendous outrage, humiliation and are courageously fighting back though in an unequal battle.”
“So now that’s what I imagined of Khadafy and Lybia, were he President Yudhoyono of Indonesia or president of India or the Philippines, or ... What, if we would be forced to accept a puppet president. That’s more than a free, sane man could stand, bear. What do you think, say?”
What were it your president?
August 2011
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
A Victim Of His Own Creation
A Victim Of His Own Creation
We certainly would rejoice having created new, better varieties of grain, coconut, chicken, cow, fish, … if indeed of better quality. Scientist are experimenting with genes and what not. But without wise, prudent consideration, they might become a nightmare instead of a blessing.
Have you ever heard about the hybrid “man-animal”? That is a descendant of crossing man and animal. What if one day man would really succeed to create this, as is a Spinks that has the body of an animal and a head of a man or vice versa. Or succeeded to create a deadly virus as AIDS and the virus escaped of an accident in the laboratory, or create nuclear, chemical, bacterial weapons?
I remember an old charming story, I don’t know who the wise author was.
There were three sons who intend to dedicate their knowledge for their country. The first was Iptek, the second Biotek and the third was Moyung. He was a nonentity, he can’t pride himself on scientific merits, as his other brothers, except his common sense.
The oldest proved his ability by constructing the scattered bones of a lion. The second added meat, skin, claws, teeth to the carcass.
“Now, watch” he said, “I’ll bring him to life”.
But Moyung was terrified. “ Don’t” he cried. “He would prey on us”.
“Well, Moyung really is a fool, ha, ha. There never was a scientific proof that lions are endangering man.” said their brothers.
“Wait” Moyung quickly climbed a tree.
The two brothers were proud of their lion. But as soon as the animal came to life, it pounced upon them.
Yet the modern version said: “The author erred, or fooled. Don’t worry, Iptek, Mr. Technology and Biotek, Mr. Biotechnology were save and praised, honored as the Saviors, Messiah of mankind and the world. It was Moyung who always used his common sense, climbed the tree became a prey of the lion. If you don’t believe, just reread the chapter on lion’s behavior for the secondary school.” And many people trust, believe this.
Monday, August 22, 2011
The Courage To Be Yourself
The Courage To Be Yourself
If in a society all are smoking, drinking beer and there’s one man that doesn’t smoke, drink beer, that man is brave. If all are not smoking, not drinking beer and there’s one man who does, he also is brave. To have the courage to be yourself, to be different. That’s what Pak Arif told me.
August 2011
Saturday, August 20, 2011
I Need You
I Need You
“I don’t need ice cream. I need you.” So said an old, near dying man to a young woman with ice cream who had taken care of him.
Living in a rented apartment before, he offered her to stay with him. “Welcome home.” He wrote on the table with a flower in a vase when she came in. “This is your home,” the very old man said. His friends who visited him in the hospital, asked him who she was. He said “she is my wife” though they were never married.
That must be the highest honor, the greatest reward for a woman when a man could speak something like that. I imagine him, needing her love as the sun, even more than heaven.
August 2011
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Most Precious Gift To Each Other
Most Precious Gift To Each Other
Being married is nothing at all. Being unmarried is just as OK. But when you one day become husband and wife, - not so much because you’re legally married or married before God in the church -, just imagine when your husband kissed you before you go to sleep and waked you up with a kiss in the morning and you too in turn, till old age. That would be the most precious gift for life, unless you stop loving each other.
Pigeons celebrate their wedding every day till old age.
So was Opa Johan’s e mail to his granddaughter.
August 2011
ABRI, The People's Guardian
ABRI, The People’s Guardian
“Wow, the ABRI (Indonesian National Armed Forces) were so patient, didn’t become angry, emotional, kept silent, like stones when they were scolded, derided, laughed at, pointed with a finger to their very nose, pushed back, thrown with stones by demonstrators, rioters. I would ’burst’ in their place. Who could endure it? They’re human beings, not robots. Instead they were regarded in the wrong, as inhumane, when they were taking measures to restore law and order.” So someone comments when he saw this on TV recently.
We were panic stricken, we feared for our safety, our dogs, May 14, as we saw the smoke rising in the neighborhood and imagined the mob, rioters coming closer. Moreover those who helplessly saw, experienced the plunder, the fire, the outrage, affront. The presence of ABRI security forces was a relief, a blessing.
And I remembered the joy, happiness, pride of the people when the ABRI forces triumphed and succeeded to rescue the hostages in Irian Jaya.
But for the military who sacrificed their lives – “heroes” said si Upik – doing their duty to protect, safeguard, rescue the people, there was almost nothing in the papers, on TV. No silence observed, no poetry reading, no flag half pole hoisted in their honor, they’re not missed, not mourned by the public.
For these heroes and the victims who were robbed, raped, killed without any fault, who were likely to be forgotten, unnoticed, my flag waves half pole.
Suara Karya, June 19, 1998
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