At my age now, it’s rare for anything to make me laugh out loud. Perhaps it’s because I’m surrounded by people of the same generation, right?
I’m Generation X. We Gen Xers are used to living in silence.
The most common response I give when seeing something funny or silly is to smile widely.
But, a TikTok account –Jandatawareal– often makes me laugh out loud alone. He gathers and reviews various comments on other funny posts. He really cheers me up. He’s my favorite.
Here I show you the account.
I will celebrate Eid al-Fitr this year with different customs. I don’t prepare a lot of food and cakes. No new clothes. No new utensils. This year’s Eid al-Fitr will be very minimalist. I have left behind a cheerful and warm Eid.
Instead, I spend more time praying and doing other good deeds during Ramadhan.
Finally, I have reached a point where Eid al-Fitr feels ordinary. It doesn’t need to be exaggerated; Eid al-Fitr is simply one day at the end of Ramadan.
Without my two children and their families, our house becomes very quiet.
Loneliness will be part of me in the future. This makes me think, what will I use this abundant time for?
The children have their activities. They are competing to achieve their future. I will not ask them to sacrifice their future to live with me. That’s not fair for them.
I must say this; my husband and I will be the past for our children. We have to accept this and be prepared.
My friends, do you feel the same way when your children grow up and no longer live with you? How do you cope with it?
If you told your problems to others or the public, most of your stories would be responded to with different opinions.
Have you ever seen famous people’s posts on social media about their problems? Read the comments there. Fans and haters argue endlessly.
In my opinion, Your personal problems are not for public consumption. Even it can damage your image. Be aware that your suffering is only understood by you and the people who care about you.
If your mind is tangled about a problem, I suggest you do the following:
Hoya, kamu mungkin belum terlalu familiar dengan bunga yang satu ini ya. Aku mulai mengoleksinya pas booming tanaman hias waktu pandemi Covid-19 melanda dunia. Kalau melihat kegilaan bertanam bunga waktu itu, sekarang senyum-senyum sendiri.
Bayangkan…malam hari pun aku bawa senter ke halaman depan dan belakang untuk melihat perkembangan tanamanku, padahal baru pagi dan sorenya aku mengintip mereka. Waktu itu kok tanaman seperti lambaattt banget berkembang.
Nah aku beli Hoya ini dari toko online di Shxxxx. Ada ratusan jenis Hoya yang dijual, dari yang harga murah (ribuan rupiah) hingga yang agak mahal dari jenis variegata atau yang diimpor (puluhan ribuan rupiah). Semua datang hanya dengan dua atau tiga daun. Penjualnya pelit banget!
Bertahun-tahun kemudian, koleksi Hoyaku cukup banyak. Dan rimbun. Beberapa jenis Hoya bahkan merambat hingga ke dinding dan kanopi rumah. Berbunga? Ya, rajin dan tanpa kenal musim.
Kenapa aku tertarik Hoya?
Kompas memprediksi bunga Hoya bakalan populer tahun 2025 ini.
Kamu yang juga suka Hoya, silakan berbagi pengalamanmu merawat tanaman hias ini. Aku tunggu….
Maybe I’m not the type of person who is too brave to say no to something that will interfere with my goals. As I get older, I learn to refuse something politely.
For example, if there is a proposal in the office that will interfere with the goals that my division must achieve, I will propose that we discuss it transparently in an open and objective meeting. Usually, parties who want to impose their will will reject the open meeting. That’s my chance to refuse openly. I say no for logical reasons.
I really want to have the skill to care for plants so that they look lush and elegant and diligently flower or bear fruit. I enjoy gardening for a long time. But I admit, I do everything mediocrely. I water and fertilize the plants but haven’t paid attention to lighting, good pruning, or developing shoots. A true gardener should understand that, don’t you?
Maybe someday, I’ll learn it again. For now, let it be as it is.
FYI, in my country, people naturally skilled in caring for plants or livestock are often called ‘the cool hand’ or Bertangan Dingin (in Bahasa Indonesia). What terminology is used in your country?
My friends, let’s take a look at my front yard garden. It’s green but a bit disordered, don’t you?
When I’m at home, I like the heavy rain outside. I suddenly feel happy and calm. I appreciate the warmth home has given me all this time.
Even though I can’t go anywhere, my dreams wander happily while the rain wets the earth. Sometimes, I remember coming home from school in the rain during my childhood or dancing with my friends back then. I also daydream about my current life, thinking of the children I love and my siblings who are far away. My love for them suddenly fills me with warmth.
Rain can also stimulate my appetite. Usually, I will have boiled noodles, the pride of Indonesians (you know Indomie, right?), or Indonesian-style Tomyam.
I enjoy rainy weather; even lying in bed is much cozier.
However, if I had been doing fieldwork, rain would have been quite troublesome. I once went to the field without predicting the rain. Ended up completely soaked.
I have watched broadcasts on TikTok and Instagram about teachers who genuinely care for their students’ well-being. For example, a teacher set aside his lunch for a child who came to school every day but didn’t bring enough to eat due to poverty.
Another teacher secretly followed a student home because he sensed something was wrong. This child always arrived in class disorganized and late. From behind a tree, the teacher observed the child taking care of his paralyzed mother, feeding her and ensuring she was comfortable in bed while he was at school.
It was very touching.
Teachers should also pay attention to the atmosphere in the classroom to determine whether it is healthy or something is amiss. Teachers who only focus on the top-performing students or those from wealthy families betray the true essence of their role. In my country, teachers are often regarded as heroes, even without medals or formal recognition.
A good teacher should also give more support to students whose families struggle to provide them with an education.
Teaching is a humanitarian work. Indeed the teacher gets a salary, but the nominal is lower than other professional work. I can understand why this profession is not a favorite of the youngster.
I have never encountered such an admirable teacher in my own school life. However, I believe that in the remote areas of my country, there are still many dedicated, understanding, and committed teachers. They are my role models.
I wish I could write more often, 3 or 4 hours daily. Writing is good for healing, and maybe it can be a productive job.
However, it is not easy to build a strong commitment to an activity that absorbs quite a lot of time and lets me fall deep into it. Moreover, I am still an office worker with many tasks and responsibilities.
I don’t need to say how tired I am after returning from the office. The work and traffic jams on my way to and from the office leave me exhausted. Once I get home, all I want to do is lie down or scroll through my mobile phone. Before I realize it, night has fallen, and I am on my way to sleep.
There is still hope. Soon, I will have more free time. I plan to leave my current job and become a lecturer. The roles of a lecturer and a writer are closely related, and I am enthusiastic about pursuing both shortly.
Pray for me, guys.
Have a warm weekend for all.
Tattoos are not allowed in Islam because they are considered to detract from the beauty of God’s creation. However, many Muslims are tempted to get tattoos on their bodies. They regret it when guidance comes to them. Erasing the memory of a tattoo may be much easier than removing it from the skin because the process is painful.
There was a story when my husband, son, and I went to Mecca for Umrah last year. My son made a confession.
Mom, don’t be shocked and angry. I have a tattoo on my arm.
I stared in disbelief. It turned out that my son made it while he was studying in another city years ago.
Everything has happened. What else can I do, right?
So, I forgave him. Islamic scholars also agree that if someone repents, he does not need to remove the tattoo on his body. Allah is Most Forgiving. That’s His promise for everyone who takes a way to return to Islam.
Sorry for my friends who like tattoos. No offense, guys. This is just my humble opinion about tattoos. Thank you.
my thoughts on the environment, travel and life reflections 