Category: Hari-hari ku

A DEVOUT MUSLIM, BUT NOT FANATIC

May 29th, 2025

I am a devout Muslim but not a fanatic. I practice my religion moderately. I believe Islam is a religion that brings balance to life. I can’t achieve balance in life with fanaticism.

Sometimes, people confuse obedience with fanaticism. If someone is devout, he must be fanatic. It is not like that, dear. In fact, a pious person will develop a wise and loving attitude within himself. He is worried about hurting other creatures. If he does not perform worship, he sins only to his God. He can apologize from a hidden space or silently, and God will forgive him. Because God is most loving and merciful.

If he causes harm to other beings—whether humans, animals, plants, or the environment—he must apologize to many of them, with no guarantee of forgiveness. Creatures have a natural tendency to harbor resentment and seek revenge. Once conflict arises, its effects can endure for a very long time.

So, It is better to protect the feelings of others than to hurt them. You will not enter heaven until your problems with other human beings are resolved properly.

I practice my religion’s teachings willingly, seeking guidance for improvement, happiness, and forgiveness.
JIWA YANG TENANG

April 20th, 2025

Jangan kejar apa yang diinginkan orang banyak; kejar apa yang benar bagi jiwamu

Aku terganggu oleh ucapan Socrates ini. Yang diinginkan oleh diriku adalah juga yang diinginkan orang banyak. Mereka mengikut di belakangku, bukan aku yang mengikut di belakang mereka. Benarkah?

Sejatinya tidak demikian. Aku terganggu karena ucapan Socrates tersebut meninju dadaku dengan lembut. Sudahkah aku mengenal jiwaku dengan baik sehingga dapat mengetahui apa yang diinginkannya? Belum! Aku masih menginginkan apa yang diincar oleh orang banyak, tanpa memedulikan keinginan jiwaku.

Tentu aku bohong ketika mengklaim, orang banyak mengikut di belakangku, meniru keinginan-keinginanku. Siapalah aku ini?! Aku bukan trend-setter. Aku bukan idola siapapun. Akulah yang mengikuti, terpengaruh, dan terintimidasi oleh arus utama hedonisme. Hingga jiwaku gelisah dan meronta ingin memiliki semuanya.

Setiap jiwa merindukan ketenangan. Dia tak akan menuntut bintang di angkasa, atau emas di perut bumi. Semua itu tak mengenyangkan jiwa. Nafsulah yang mengipas-ngipasnya, seolah-olah semua itu permintaan jiwa. Jiwa hanya ingin diberi iman, ilmu, hiburan, buku, film dan perihal lain yang bernilai spritualitas tinggi.

Terima kasih Socrates. Engkau mengingatkanku tentang jiwa yang tenang. Jiwa yang meminta tak muluk-muluk.
MERAWAT BONSAI MU

April 18th, 2025

Haruskah keinginan atau hawa nafsu dibatasi dengan kejam, dimatikan sebelum dia berkecambah dan menggerogoti hati dan pikiran?

Manusia selalu digoda oleh keinginan dan hawa nafsu yang tak berhenti. Selagi dirimu bernafas akan selalu muncul keinginan untuk memiliki ini dan itu, atau menjadi seperti ini dan itu.

Untuk menyelamatkan iman, hawa nafsu itu harus segera dipadamkan. Itukah yang terlintas di kepalamu?

Jangan….! Beri kesempatan dia hidup dan tumbuh. Hidupmu akan menjemukan jika kau tega membunuh keinginan dan cita-citamu, karena dirimu merasa menua atau kesempatan menipis. Keinginan-keinginan tersebutlah yang membuatmu hidup, bergairah. Dan kau tahu…orang yang penuh vitalisme itu memiliki aura positif tersendiri, menjadi magnet untuk sekitarnya.

Keinginan tersebut menjadi indah jika di’pruning’ dengan seni tersendiri. Ibarat tanaman, jika dipangkas mengikuti gambar yang ada di kepala si tukang kebun, dia akan menjelma menjadi bonsai yang seksi.

Tapi jika keinginanmu -diibaratkan kembali ke pohon- engkau biarkan tumbuh rindang sementara halaman rumahmu sempit, dia akan kokoh menghujam ke bumi dan meringsek ke dinding rumahmu hingga reyot dan rubuh.

Keinginan dan nafsu adalah spirit kehidupan. Jangan pangkas dia hingga ke akar. Aturlah arah tumbuhnya, pangkas hanya di bagian yang tak mengikuti desainmu, dan pupuklah. Meskipun dia tua dan kecil namun nilainya melebihi sebuah pohon besar.

Yang engkau butuhkan adalah seni memangkas keinginan, mengarahkan hawa nafsu. Bukan membunuh keinginan-keinginanmu sehingga jiwa dan tubuhmu bosan, menunggu kematian dengan murung.
HOME FOR A WRITER

February 11th, 2025

My dream home is simple. A home where I can feel at peace, surrounded by books and flowers, and where I can continue my work as a writer.

Occasionally, I can host extended family and friends and serve meals together while talking and laughing. The home should be beautiful enough and open to nature. From my bedroom and study, I can enjoy coffee or tea.

I hope my husband is not too loud when I need time. He should have enjoyable activities so we can connect while still enjoying each other.
Finally, Reunion

February 9th, 2025

I met my brother, his wife, and their family this afternoon. Just as we arrived last night from Jambi, they also got in from Padang. We agreed to meet in Pekanbaru.

Why did we meet in Pekanbaru? Because we promised to visit our other brother, who lives outside Pekanbaru.

Here is the reason for this reunion.

We want to visit our younger brother and see his life now. In the past, we had a dispute that strained our relationship. But now we intend to renew our bond as brothers.

We are no longer young. We recognize that any moment could be our last. It would be heartbreaking to part while still blaming each other.

In the past, we had hurt each other with words and acts. Now is the time to forgive and love again.

We have hurt each other with our words and actions in the past. Now is the time to forgive and love one another again. The more important is to remember that we were raised by the same parents and share the same blood than to focus on the conflicts and differences we’ve experienced.

My husband and I, and my brother and his wife after we prayed at the largest mosque in Pekan Baru City. We have chatted a lot.

Looks peaceful, right? That’s the beauty of silaturahim.
INVENTION AND THE BULL BRAIN

February 6th, 2025

One of the AI products installed on my smartphone is Meta AI. I can ask many topics and get answers in an instant. Very cool.

However, a researcher (who was recently appointed as the deputy minister of education in Indonesia) said that AI can harm the human mind. AI can give wrong answers but cannot be detected immediately. Only those who do analysis and research know which part of the answer is false and not based on scientific logic.

I am quite worried that our dependence on AI products is very high. Humans are too lazy to use their brains and hearts to filter what is best for them.

Do I exaggerate?
THE REWARD OF HARD WORK AND PATIENCE

February 5th, 2025

After completing a big job or solving a problem the day before, the next day will be an ideal day for me. I am free to enjoy the day for myself without overthinking.

My mind is so relaxed, and I can enjoy the beauty of the flowers in the garden, take a morning walk, or chat with my friends. Next, perhaps, I will continue to lunch, and there, with my friends, my loyal colleagues, or my husband, we can discuss what we can do next to increase our team’s achievements.

At night, I can sleep soundly, and little by little, I imagine an exciting plan to work on.

I realize that an ideal day does not just come or be given by the generosity of others. It will come as a reward for the hard work and seeds of patience that have been sown and nurtured some time ago.
LIFE AS AN OPEN CLASSROOM

February 4th, 2025

Life teaches many things, but only to those willing to learn.

I realized its broad meaning as I grew older. Life is like an open class. Everyone is welcome, without a specific topic and without strict requirements. One can enter the class at will, and others can ignore it.

The results can vary widely from person to person, shaped by the unique motivations each carries. It all comes down to the genuine desire to learn and embrace those lessons. Your intentions are the key that unlocks the door to transformation!

As time passes, I realize the need to learn more about life. Although I am already in my 50s, I have not applied many things for the peace of myself and blessings to others.

The journey of life has only changed me a little. It came slowly. Perhaps because of my so ordinary life. The people around me, the movies I watch, and the books and scriptures I read all greatly influence me to change my habits and outlook on life.

Frankly, I still often compare myself to other people’s perspectives when I decide to adopt one perspective for myself.

For example, I see someone angry on the road because his car overtook another. I tell myself not to do it. This is detrimental to my mental health. Others will also look down on me as a temperamental person.

When I see someone calm, religious, and doing good, I ask about their routine. This motivates me to follow their path, adjusting it to my views.

Ultimately, it is not the suffering of life or the significant events in my life that teach me valuable lessons but rather the experiences of others that persuade me to change.

Learning from other people’s lives changes my perspective faster. I don’t think it’s wrong. Also, it doesn’t mean I am a copy-paste. I take wisdom from other people’s mistakes and goodness.

Who has the same pattern as me, friends?
WHY IS ONE AFRAID OF DEATH?

February 3rd, 2025

People may have different answers to these questions. Many reasons why you might not be, and some people are afraid.

Mine is the one who is afraid of the coming death. The thing that I am scared of most is the sickness of dying. In Islamic belief, though from the outside, one’s dying did not look sick, but in real he suffered. The lightest sickness of dying is like a goat was skinned alive.

Life after death also scared me. I am not sure whether this was the trauma I brought from childhood when my teachers told me scary things about the punishment for sinful people. Or, I am indeed a weak human.

I blamed the exaggerated lessons the teacher gave us in the past. That no one can pass the punishment in the grave. Even good people have to pay for the mistakes he made during his life, though only a tiny fault.

It seems that the good things humans do in the world can not cover their sins, although they try to do their best and ask for forgiveness every day.

After I grew old, I tried to neutralize the feeling of death scary. I believe in the mercy of God. He must understand when I did wrong. Perhaps not all was my mistake. Several external factors influenced me, and may He forgive me for that.

Years of my childhood under extreme teaching about life after death can not be neutralized by a short time of wise teachings. Yet, I am grateful that on one occasion, one of the famous ulama said this.

No need to fear death. Consider how you felt when you were tired and finally allowed to sleep—you must be happy. That is akin to death. You should not be worried or afraid. Because from that moment on, you are liberated from the burdens of this world.

This is a small light in the darkness of my perspective on death.
OMELET, YES!

February 2nd, 2025

Cooking requires a positive mood. Don’t cook if your mood is bad. It won’t taste good. It’s better to go out and look for fast food.

This week, I have been quite busy, coming home tired and just wanting to relax. So, I skip cooking.

Luckily, there are many choices of fast food, both local and international. I just need to walk several hundred meters to the nearest food stall. Then choose what I want to eat, such as Pecel Lele, Nasi Padang, and Martabak Mesir.

When I am not traveling for work, I cook. I am building a new habit of bringing lunch to the office. Cooking healthy food is necessary. The menu that I make most often is….. Guess what?

Omelet. Various kinds of omelets.

Simple, delicious, and rich in protein.