my thoughts on the environment, travel and life reflections

A MEANINGFUL LIFE AND LOVED BY OTHERS

January 8th, 2025

Daily writing prompt
What are your thoughts on the concept of living a very long life?
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What a ticklish question!

I often ask myself, if God gave me a long life, what would I do to make my life meaningful? Could I still enjoy life when I was unable to care for myself?

Humans are selfish. Someone who lives in trials may ask God to shorten his life. On the other hand, when he lives in happiness, no misery, he hopes that his life will never end.

Life is not just about counting happiness and suffering. Life is a long learning process to achieve life goals. Sometimes, humans have not found their life goals, and that’s what causes them to despair.

I remembered the words of a highly respected and unique Indonesian figure, Gus Dur. He did not like to have a long life. Why? Who will be my friend if all my friends die? Maybe he was joking, trying to answer a heavy question lightly. But that’s also what’s on my mind.

I think long life is not about the quantity of age. It is more about the quality of life. Let’s say you were 50 when you died (while the average age in your country is 65). However, you lived a meaningful life and did many positive things for society. I think you have lived a long life. You are gone but are still remembered with pride and love. You lived longer than your actual age.

That’s the concept of “live a very long life” I believe in. Do you have another perspective?
HEALTHY LUNCH, FRESH FROM HOME

January 7th, 2025

Daily writing prompt
What could you do differently?
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Simple things can have a positive and simultaneous impact on your life. I experienced it.

For years, I bought lunch at a nearby restaurant or stall. We called it Nasi Bungkus. The menu was simple, just rice, vegetables, and a piece of fish or meat. The spiciness often made my stomach hurt.

Since I became aware of a healthy lifestyle, I now bring my lunch to the office. I make lunch with fresh ingredients, no inorganic additives, and not too spicy.

The change seems simple, right? However, it is like a train locomotive carrying several carriages. One carriage moves, and the others move along. Routinely bringing my lunch from home is followed by changes in my wake-up and sleep times, the menu for the week, the choice on high-protein foods, and so on. I am also more economical in using food ingredients so that no food is wasted.

Everyone should be willing to evaluate various things in their daily lives. It will renew you, I guarantee it.

Doing something differently, as long as it gives better results, why not?
MESSAGE FOR POLITICIANS AND CONGLOMERATES

January 6th, 2025

Daily writing prompt
If you had a freeway billboard, what would it say?
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In my country, billboards are for rich people, those holding high government positions, politicians running for governor/mayor, or members of the House of Representatives.

I wouldn’t display any photos or videos of myself. Would I use expensive facilities for trivial things to make myself famous even though I don’t need to pay a cent? Oh, no way.

I am an ordinary person, not known to many people, and I feel embarrassed to expose myself on that billboard.

Instead, I might show pictures of people from all walks of life; they are ordinary people like me, living modestly, struggling to make ends meet but receiving little support from the government or the wealthy. They are hard workers who believe in God’s goodness and choose to live righteously as a way of life.

The image or video on the billboard should convey a strong message. I hope the billboard can inspire government officials and conglomerates to use their privileges more responsibly. I am worried about the rulers and wealthy becoming increasingly greedy lately.
A PART OF MY SOUL LIVES IN THE PAST

January 5th, 2025

Daily writing prompt
Do you spend more time thinking about the future or the past? Why?
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I am the type of person who thinks more about the past. It happens naturally, maybe due to the age.

Some memories are indeed painful. I often recall them. The memories just come. Among all of them, the death of family members has a deep sadness on me, especially the death of my parents and my younger sibling. Among the three, my younger sibling’s death was the most painful. I blame my inability to help him in his last moments of life.

Things outside of death have less impact on me. Some even make me feel silly and embarrassed and remind me of my limitations as an ordinary human being who is not free from mistakes.

Taking time to remember things that happened in the past is beneficial. It can lead to wisdom and awareness of one’s position in the universe; we are just a speck of dust whose destiny is not entirely determined by ourselves; the rotation of the universe also influences it.

Returning to the death of my younger sibling, the sadness I feel decreases as time goes by. I am determined to help my late brother’s children complete their education. My sister and I worked together to help them, occasionally taking the deceased’s wife and children out for a family picnic.

I am the type of person who thinks more about the past. It happens naturally, maybe due to the age. A part of me still lives in the past. Anyway, I try looking at it from the positive side. It is beneficial for making more mature and less emotional plans/decisions.
JUST GIVE ME PERFUME, TOTE BAG, AND FLOWER

January 4th, 2025

Daily writing prompt
What is the greatest gift someone could give you?
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I once asked my sons jokingly, “If one day you were going to give Mama a gift, what gift do you think I like the most?”

My youngest child, who was then in elementary school, immediately answered, “Perfume.” He guessed right. He watched me daily and knew my style.

Yes, I love perfume. It can lift my mood. I feel incomplete without spraying perfume after a shower, even if I was just at home all day.

The next gift I like is a large genuine leather handbag. The tote bag type is my favorite. A large handbag ensures that all the necessities are accommodated, including a laptop, cosmetics, and a tumbler. The bag adds to my self-assurance.

The next gift I like is flowers, especially the broad-leaved ones. This type of flower gives a classy and expensive impression.

By the way, among my family members, my youngest child and my sister understand best what I expect as a gift. Without previously asking, they surprised me with the gifts.

How about the others? They prefer to treat me to dinner out as gifts or ask first and then present the gifts.
VIRTUAL GIFT FROM MORNING WALK

January 3rd, 2025

I whispered, “We are the lucky ones who woke up this morning while others were still sleeping.”

On the first day of January 2025, I woke up early and started my morning walk. Some neighbors’ houses and windows were still closed, and the streets were quiet. Usually, when walking along the road, I worry that a careless motorcyclist will hit me from behind.

That morning, those worries disappeared. My feelings were so light. I enjoyed the tranquility. Passing by some people sweeping the front yard and watering the flowers on the porch, I whispered that we were the lucky ones who woke up this morning while others were still sleeping.

As the virtual gifts to all my readers, here are some wildflowers I photographed on my way home.

Cheers.
PLAYTIME FOR SENIORS

January 2nd, 2025

Daily writing prompt
Do you play in your daily life? What says “playtime” to you?
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Sorry if I sound old-fashioned, but going to the pub or karaoke is no longer for me.

Playing for an adult means an activity that gives him happiness and joy, reduces stress, might stimulate creativity, or ties a relationship with someone new or refreshes the old one.

Not all plays known generally in Indonesia are suitable for adults. If insisted on, some would be considered childish. Games, including Lompat Karet, Petak Umpet, Ular Naga, and Congklak, are for kids. The seniors have their own choices.

Playtime is a time to have fun responsibly and thoughtfully. Sorry if I sound old-fashioned, but going to the pub or karaoke is no longer for me. I choose gardening, walking, and photographing the environment instead.

Now I play in stillness, no longer under night lights or in the middle of a crowd.
CULTIVATING PATIENCE, WISDOM AND HARMONY

January 1st, 2025
Daily writing prompt
What are your biggest challenges?
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Once you set a goal in life, that’s when you’ll face a mountain of challenges. The Quran says:
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Do people think that after they say, "We believe," they will be left untested?
(QS. Al-'Ankabut Verse 2)
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I have set a goal to live a peaceful and meaningful life. But at the same time, I asked myself, could I achieve it if my husband was not on the same path as me? When work life was so busy, and I was surrounded by ambitious and cunning people, could I maintain the peace I strive for? Or, when my economic situation was not good, could I pretend there were no problems?

Of course, my mind is disturbed when all of that happens.

But if I lived alone, far away at the foot of a mountain, and had everything to support my daily needs, would it be easier to achieve peace and a meaningful life? I doubt it. I might miss the hustle and bustle of the urban and the dynamic life in the working world.

Whether my life is peaceful or not lies in my mind. I should exercise the soft skills to regulate myself, what I should think about and resolve, and what I should let go of. I have not been able to set boundaries between the two areas. There are qualities that I have not fulfilled, including patience, wisdom, and physical and spiritual balance.

I am often tempted to act drastically, changing my lifestyle instantly. Finally, I am tired, bored, and restless again.

So, what is the biggest challenge in my life right now? Cultivating patience, wisdom, and the ability to balance the various aspects of my life.

This will be a long-term challenge, and I will take it slowly but mindfully.
WHEN NEGATIVE THOUGHTS ARE SPOKEN OUT LOUD

December 31st, 2024

I wonder where this writing habit will lead. Will it just be a hobby, a diversion in my life?

I have long dreamed of writing my own book with passion and love. A book that evokes memories, new thoughts, or freshness in the reader. It’s not too heavy but quite a good book.

Is that too ambitious for a beginner?

However, I asked mine; will readers like the book? How can I build my career as a writer if only a few people appreciate what I put into it?

If I followed those negative feelings, I would immediately stop writing. I then would spend more time scrolling through TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, etc. I would feel tired and not get anything positive. In the long run, I might lose the skills I have acquired.

I have tried to keep writing on this blog in the last two months. At the same time, I continue to reject the negative thoughts that say out loud that I will not be able to become a professional writer. This is a struggle that I experience almost every day. I wonder if all aspiring writers feel this way? How many of them emerge victorious?

I still don’t know where this writing habit will lead. Will I be able to realize my dream of writing my own book? Or will this be a hobby, just a diversion in my life?

Although it’s not easy, I’m determined to do it in the new year 2025, writing my thoughts and life experiences into a book.

If I didn’t start, I wouldn’t get there, would I?
WILDFLOWERS AND LIVING A MEANINGFUL LIFE

December 30th, 2024

Wildflowers look lovely and strong simultaneously, while the flowers planted in pots look classy but fragile.

I love photographing flowers on the side of the road or in the bushes. I value them more than the pretty flowers in pots on a beautiful porch. They look lovely and strong simultaneously, while the flowers planted in pots look classy but fragile.

My friends often laugh at my crouching pose when taking these photos. An unusual hobby, they say.

I see wildflowers from a different perspective. Humans have been fooled by the flashy, bold, and dazzling appearance for so long. Something natural and easy to find in nature is often considered nothing special, without a price. I think that attitude is built by the industry that produces expensive goods and is supported by the human tendency towards luxury.

I like nice things (some of which are expensive, yes) but not in an excessive way. I am aware of my financial capabilities. Also, I know that peace and contentment can be obtained in other ways, such as finding beauty in ordinary places or on the outskirts.

Recently, I have been trying to develop more positive habits to make my day worthwhile. Photographing nature is one of them.

What are some others? Enjoying a sunrise or sunset, walking in a park or garden (I perfect it by walking silently while dhikr), listening to birdsong, and playing in the sand. Reading a favorite book, listening to music, and writing in a journal are also valuable.

Alhamdulillah, I have been doing some of them for a long time and will continue establishing and making them a part of my peaceful life.