September 28, 2012

On Buying Books

(Below is my second entry to Dear Reader contest 2012 by Suzanne Beecher, which also didn't win : ), and still perhaps because of my English that needs improvement.)


I don’t know whether this is a talent or a mere coincidence; whether many people experience it or not; and whether or not there are writers who have already written about this topic. But, I found out that most of the time I never buy same books. I mean, I have many books in my house, but I always buy books in different titles. Have you ever experienced this, too? 
         
            Perhaps I (we) often write the same topics in our writings, but I never buy the same books twice. As if I remember all the titles of my books, even though I couldn’t remember EXACTLY what the titles are. Unlike Will Hunting who could mention all of his 12 brothers in the movie, Good Will Hunting. Twice. 

            The funny thing is that my wife even said, “Dear, please don’t buy more books until we have the newer bookcase for your books.” I suppose she can hardly remember or recall any of my books, otherwise she would have prevented me from buying or keeping another books again. But, my hands cannot be stopped from buying books, unless the source is also stopped, i.e. Rp, the Indonesian money currency. Yet, perhaps even though if I have no money, I still can borrow or read some books at libraries or just go to bookstores, or have friends of mine to lend me books. And when my eyes encounter new (whether secondhand or new release books), I know that I still don't have those books, so I would buy them.
         
            When I am on the bookstore, either just to read or before eventually buying some books, I could stand for hours in reading or searching for bookslike four or five hours, without sitting! And here in Jakarta, Indonesia, whenever there is a book festival, such as recently held Jakarta Book Fair 2012, I would go there, hunting for books, and need no rest until I get really, really tired. Now I can’t do that if I go to a mall with my wife, accompanying her to buy her clothes or other things. I can even barely stand for half an hour.
         
            It is perhaps because when I search, buy for books, I redirect the feelings of my exhausted legs into my heart which has a passion for books and writings, so I don’t feel pain. But, when I go to the mall with my wife, I tend to place those energies to walk into my mind which tells me to be weary soon enough without being enthusiastic in helping her. However, I should be more able to balance my enthusiasm and energy when buying books or accompanying my wife.

            The question is: I (you) do have many books, but do you (I) have many books? I mean, our own books that we have written. Our books, whether the ones that we buy or write, are for our next generations, our legacy for them. Our dedication.

Dear Reader's Contest

(Below is my first entry to Dear Reader contest 2012 by Suzanne Beecher, which didn't come out as a winner, perhaps because of my English that still needs improvement.)


Hi Suzanne.

I’m Franisz from Indonesia. I never thought that I would enter your contest and write to you or about you, etc.even though I ever sent you an e-mail or two to ask or discuss something.

Now this is not a writing to flatter or compliment you much in the hope that I could win the contesteven though it is a good thing if I could win. But rather, it is a personal expression from me to you.

First of all, I am sorry if my English is still in the beginner level, since I am from Indonesia in which I use and speak more in Bahasaeven though that’s should not be an excuse.

Your writings have become blessings and have touched my heart since the first time I got to know your ministry through DearReader.com. I love your writings or the snippets thru Dear Readeralso the first sneak peak books from your Book Club.

I usually find answers from your writings―even from simple ones that sometimes, if I’m not wrong, once a while tears flow from my eyes because of your words of comfort. Perhaps you didn’t know or figure that they would touch others’ hearts and become answers they are seeking.

Secondly, I never thought―that is until I read your recent guest writer Gwendolyn Heasley filling in for you during your vacation week―that I have the same goal as a child just like yours, i.e. to be a missionary. I still have that dream though, and still wondering about it. How about you? But, even though perhaps we’re not missionaries right now, I believe we are through our words, writings for others who in need.

Well, to be honest―which is a huge challenge for writers to do―I’m running out of ideas to write at the time being. I mean I don’t know what to write at the moment I’m writing this. Even perhaps this piece becomes boring for some.

How great it is the power that people have in becoming liars, while on the contrary they can also show honesty, to be honest. And that, being honest, is my second goal after missionary. That may sounds childish, but perhaps it is because of my English, but deep in my heart writing and thinking or saying in Bahasa, it is true.

Am I chasing the 650 words limit rule right now? The more I am concerned in the total words goal, the more I feel that I don’t know what else to say. Yet, if I would just let my hands do the talk (I love italics between the normal words), and pour down into papers what’s in my heart, hopefully everything will be alright, every words will be at my side. Now words amount is important, but just like the way it feels to receive a salary a month, if we consider it too much, what we are writing and why do we do it, anyway?

(I’m a little bit glad near the words count.) Let me share one other thing with you.

I am currently on a project, i.e. to write a page per day. But, I have neglected it, especially starting in last August 2012. I didn’t write using pen and paper for a whole single month! It’s just because I chose not to write in a day, then a second day, and another day, on and on. I am hoping and acting, however, toward that failure so that I could be able to failing forward. Sounds childish still, eh? Yep, children do not recognize failure―it perhaps doesn’t even exist in their dictionary of life. Gwendolyn Heasley even asked, wasn’t it: “What Did the Kid Version of You Want to Be When You Grew Up?” If we are still alive, I hope that we could still have such attitude in our lives. Only a childish person who doesn’t want to be childish.
 



12 Fakta Pernikahan












# Fakta Pernikahan 1. Menikah itu gampang; yang susah adalah menjalani pernikahan dan terus hidup di dalamnya.

# Fakta Pernikahan 2. Banyak orang yang belum menikah ingin cepat-cepat menikah, banyak juga orang yang sudah menikah ingin segera keluar dari pernikahan.

# Fakta Pernikahan 3. Banyak orang menghabiskan ratusan juta hingga miliaran untuk satu hari pesta pernikahan yang efeknya kurang dari 3% utk membuat pernikahan awet.

# Fakta Pernikahan 4. Statistik mengatakan bahwa 1 dari 10 pasangan di Indonesia berakhir dengan perceraian resmi. Yang tidak resmi lebih banyak jumlahnya.

# Fakta Pernikahan 5. Siapa bilang menikah hanya butuh cinta? Menikah juga butuh duit, perencanaan, tujuan, dan banyak hal lainnya!

# Fakta Pernikahan 6. Bilang “Yes I do” waktu pemberkatan nikah memang gampang, yang susah mengucapkannya waktu pasangan marah-marah pada kita!

# Fakta Pernikahan 7. Sebagian besar orang menikah tanpa tahu untuk apa selain karena untuk punya anak & karena semua orang begitu.

# Fakta Pernikahan 8. "Ketidakcocokkan" adalah kambing paling hitam yang jadi alasan pasangan bercerai. Kok telat amat tahunya?

# Fakta Pernikahan 9. Kebanyakan orang menganggap menikah adalah penjara yang mengkungkung. Hanya segelintir yang menemukan kebebasan dalam pernikahan.

# Fakta Pernikahan 10. Banyak pasangan menyiapkan pesta pernikahan hingga 1 tahun sebelumnya, tapi tidak melakukan persiapan apa pun untuk menjalani pernikahan yang seumur hidupnya.

# Fakta Pernikahan 11. Bukankah Malam Pertama hanya 1 dari puluhan ribu malam dalam pernikahan? Kenapa banyak orang yang menganggap malam ini lebih penting dibandingkan malam-malam lainnya?

# Fakta Pernikahan 12. Waktu menikah, kita tidak hanya menikah dengan pasangan kita, tetapi juga dengan keluarga besarnya.

Jadi, sanggupkah menikah?




―Timothy J. Daun
 

September 11, 2012

Tini Sedang Jatuh Cinta



Tini yang sedang jatuh cinta takkan mempersoalkan jarak sejauh apa pun untuk menemui idola hatinya. Katakanlah Jember – Surabaya atau Jakarta – Jepang; Bali – Medan atau New Delhi – Republik Dominika. Ada apa dengan sang pujaan Tini? Meskipun ada pribadi lain yang lebih ataulah hampir menyerupai, menatap wajahnya serta kedua matanya adalah obat rindu bagi mata Tini yang sedang jatuh cinta.

Kadang Tini mengguyur hati sang kekasih dengan kegelisahan karena terbang menjauh tanpa memberi tahu terlebih dulu untuk mencari pribadi lain yang dia anggap akan lebih cocok dan sesuai dengan harapan-harapannya. Akan tetapi, saat melakukannya, Tini sebenarnya amat merindukan sang dambaan hati di tiap langkahnya yang rapuh, serapuh kayu tua tertekan keras.

Tini sungguh-sungguh sedang jatuh cinta bila memperlakukan sang idaman hati dengan selembut-lembutnya, selembut polesan canting batik oleh perempuan paruh baya yang berpengalaman 12 tahun lebih membatik. Perselisihan getir yang terjadi di antara mereka, sekiranya Tini pun merupakan pihak yang benar, dia akan mengalah. Pada suatu kesempatan, dia pernah berkata, “Mengalah bagi cinta lebih suci daripada menang selalu di dalam segala hal, baik yang diakui maupun tersembunyi di balik relung hati.”

Tini peduli terhadap masa depan yang akan terhabiskan bersama kekasihnya sebab dia mencintainya. Dengan kepastian pilihan-pilihan hidupnya, ia akan menaklukkan segenap rintangan yang seolah tak terggoyahkan, sekalipun sekuat pijakan tanah di bumi ini ataupun dinding gunung. Dia memiliki unsur penggerak terbesar, apa yang tak tampak dari luar: motivasi di dalam dadanya dari satu demi satu degupan jantungnya.

Lagu-lagu asmara termerdu menyelimuti hati Tini apabila dia sedang jatuh cinta. Tiada lagi lagu yang tiada terdengar merduterutama nada-nada yang mengundang hatinya untuk sendu atau bercumbu. Bahkan, dia begitu meresapi arti kata-kata lagu.

Tini yang jatuh cinta itu tak akan gentar untuk mengujudkan impiannya sepanjang kehidupannya. Dia tidak akan mengulur-ulur waktu untuk mulai melakukan apa yang sangat ingin dia lakukan sedari awal dia menyadarinya. Dia tak mempunyai musuh, selain sikap-sikap memusuhi itu sendiri. Dia menyadari arti mengasihi kekasihnya sepenuh hati, lalu sesama lainnya secara ikhlas.

Saat Tini benar-benar jatuh cinta, bolehlah kadang ia merasa lemah apalagi setelah merasa bersalah, ingin menangis. Namun, dia akan bangkit dan memantapkan langkah lagi. Dia akan menyusul mimpi, bahkan menganggap bahwa dia sedang hidup kali keduanya saat di kehidupan ini.