Several months ago, a friend and I were having a conversation - you know, the usual conversation about spirituality, religion, God, etc. Suddenly my friend asked, "What's God?". I was struck dumb for a second. Then I said, "To explain God with words will be to undermine Him.".
I don't know why I answered the question that way. It came out, just like that.
It was several months ago but if you ask me again that very question, I will stand by my previous answer: "To explain the very definition of God with words will be to undermine Him."
Thursday, July 27, 2006
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
A determined soul
I have just expressed my admiration to the Ehret High School Basketball team, which has just won an ESPY awards, in my other blog Chipping in.
Their effort reminded me of a Poem by Ella Wheeler Wilcox (1850-1919), an American poet, writer and, as her admirers put it, a free thinker. The Poem titled "Will" goes like this:
There is no chance, no destiny, no fate
Can circumvent, or hinder, or control
The firm resolve of a determined soul.
Gifts count for nothing; will alone is great;
All things give way before it soon or late.
What obstacle can stay the mighty force
Of the sea-seeking river in its course,
Or cause the ascending orb of day to wait?
Each well-born soul must win what it deserves.
Let the fool prate of luck. The fortunate
Is he whose earnest purpose never swerves,
Whose slightest action or inaction serves
The one great aim.
Why, even Death stands still
And waits an hour sometimes for such a will.
Their effort reminded me of a Poem by Ella Wheeler Wilcox (1850-1919), an American poet, writer and, as her admirers put it, a free thinker. The Poem titled "Will" goes like this:
There is no chance, no destiny, no fate
Can circumvent, or hinder, or control
The firm resolve of a determined soul.
Gifts count for nothing; will alone is great;
All things give way before it soon or late.
What obstacle can stay the mighty force
Of the sea-seeking river in its course,
Or cause the ascending orb of day to wait?
Each well-born soul must win what it deserves.
Let the fool prate of luck. The fortunate
Is he whose earnest purpose never swerves,
Whose slightest action or inaction serves
The one great aim.
Why, even Death stands still
And waits an hour sometimes for such a will.
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
Beautiful people
My uncle has been hospitalized for the last month. He is divorced and he lives with his small kids from his second marriage. So he is very independent in taking care of himself and the kids on a daily basis – which is a challenge when he is in hospital. Then along came these wonderful people:
His daughter from his first marriage – adding her father to a million errands that are already on her list.
His sister (a.k.a my aunt) – all the way from another city. She goes back and forth to take care of him.
His nephew (a.k.a my cousin) – He is a doctor who specializes in public health. A truly social person. He often has to fly in and out of Jakarta to help people in need (and believe me, there are a lot in Indonesia). When he is in Jakarta, he visits my uncle and tends to his needs. When he is about to leave town, he calls my mom or brother to make sure that everything will be taken care of. He visits the hospital the day he returns to Jakarta.
His sister in law (a.k.a. my dear mom) – Honestly, she is an amazing woman. She takes care of a lot of things. She takes in the small children. She visits or sends someone to visit him everyday. She thinks about his needs – medicine, clean clothes, milk, etc.
His nieces and nephews (a.k.a my brothers and sisters) – I think it is more because we cannot let Mom be in this alone. But it ends well – they lend a hand whenever it is needed, especially whenever it gets too much for Mom.
I will not hide the fact that there are a lot of unnecessary complications and hesitant people during this process. But I decided to focus on the beautiful people I have mentioned above.
As long as there are these beautiful people in this world, there is hope.
His daughter from his first marriage – adding her father to a million errands that are already on her list.
His sister (a.k.a my aunt) – all the way from another city. She goes back and forth to take care of him.
His nephew (a.k.a my cousin) – He is a doctor who specializes in public health. A truly social person. He often has to fly in and out of Jakarta to help people in need (and believe me, there are a lot in Indonesia). When he is in Jakarta, he visits my uncle and tends to his needs. When he is about to leave town, he calls my mom or brother to make sure that everything will be taken care of. He visits the hospital the day he returns to Jakarta.
His sister in law (a.k.a. my dear mom) – Honestly, she is an amazing woman. She takes care of a lot of things. She takes in the small children. She visits or sends someone to visit him everyday. She thinks about his needs – medicine, clean clothes, milk, etc.
His nieces and nephews (a.k.a my brothers and sisters) – I think it is more because we cannot let Mom be in this alone. But it ends well – they lend a hand whenever it is needed, especially whenever it gets too much for Mom.
I will not hide the fact that there are a lot of unnecessary complications and hesitant people during this process. But I decided to focus on the beautiful people I have mentioned above.
As long as there are these beautiful people in this world, there is hope.
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
Sub blog: Chipping in
I have decided to make another blog, well one type of blog in two versions: the English and Indonesian site of Chipping In.
This is how I want to divide my writings (I did wonder whether you really care enough to read this, but what the heck, it is my blog)
The pilgrim for life – This one. The usual stuffs. Whatever comes to mind that I want to share with you. Very personal. The results of some of the everyday struggle of my poor overworked brain and heart. The kind of things that might make people wonder, “Why do you complicate your life with such thoughts and wonders?” or “Why do you need to question every single thing in life?”. Happened before.
Chipping in – A more practical site. (My definition of practical). All the incidents (or catastrophes), ideas and actions that grab my attention or cross my mind and support the idea of making the world a better place. (Sorry to be a bit idealistic. Um, on second thought, no, I am not so sorry.) Mind you, I might focus on my own country Indonesia.
This will also include all the actions that either high profile people or everyday heroes do that strike me as extraordinary – positively and negatively speaking.
I will put my own raw thoughts that might need some more cooking – and here is where I would appreciate any of you to chip in.
Seuluran tangan - The Indonesian version of chipping in. I could not make up my mind whether I should write in Indonesian or English. So I just do both. And I still do not know how to make categories in a blog. So I make to separate ones.
My Nepal and Tibet trip – obvious. Need I say more?
Thanks for visiting, for reading and especially for caring.
This is how I want to divide my writings (I did wonder whether you really care enough to read this, but what the heck, it is my blog)
The pilgrim for life – This one. The usual stuffs. Whatever comes to mind that I want to share with you. Very personal. The results of some of the everyday struggle of my poor overworked brain and heart. The kind of things that might make people wonder, “Why do you complicate your life with such thoughts and wonders?” or “Why do you need to question every single thing in life?”. Happened before.
Chipping in – A more practical site. (My definition of practical). All the incidents (or catastrophes), ideas and actions that grab my attention or cross my mind and support the idea of making the world a better place. (Sorry to be a bit idealistic. Um, on second thought, no, I am not so sorry.) Mind you, I might focus on my own country Indonesia.
This will also include all the actions that either high profile people or everyday heroes do that strike me as extraordinary – positively and negatively speaking.
I will put my own raw thoughts that might need some more cooking – and here is where I would appreciate any of you to chip in.
Seuluran tangan - The Indonesian version of chipping in. I could not make up my mind whether I should write in Indonesian or English. So I just do both. And I still do not know how to make categories in a blog. So I make to separate ones.
My Nepal and Tibet trip – obvious. Need I say more?
Thanks for visiting, for reading and especially for caring.
Another precious moment
A different interpretation of "precious moment" in my book: the time I spend with my beloved family.
A Kodak moment, you might say. Taken last weekend at Puncak Pass resort, West Java.
A Kodak moment, you might say. Taken last weekend at Puncak Pass resort, West Java.
Precious moments
I have just realized something
I cannot remember when was the last time we spoke with each other
I miss that. Precious moments
Those nights
In the early hours
When there were just the two of us and nobody else
Precious moments. I miss that
Those nights
When I told you whatever was on my mind
When you showered me with all the love and wisdom
There were no more secrets. Only simple peace
There were a lot of words and silence
Occasional smiles and tears
Pure love and hurts
How can the twos be put side by side?
It does not seem fair, I know
I do all the taking while you do all the giving
Yet you never seem to mind
You just keep on giving. And loving
Can I ever be like you?
Can I be you? Or is this a statement too bold to make?
Those nights
When I could really feel you beside me
I was about to say 'in me'
but people might misunderstood our relationship
But 'within me' is actually the more correct term
You were closer than my own veins
As you promised in one of your letters
Precious moments. I miss that
I wondered why I felt so restless
Where was the peace that I thought I have found once?
I have my friends and family around me
I am at home. I have all the things that might make people envious
I am lucky, I am fully aware of that. And I am grateful for that
Yet I felt heavy inside – I am confused
I wanted to blame the chaotic environment around me
But I know I could not
If there is somebody to blame, it would be me
Even then you would say there is nobody to blame
It is a process I have to go through
To realize that there is no higher love than yours
To know there is nowhere I would rather be than to be with you
Only by remembering you, that I can feel peace
I know I should not just count on only those nights
I should be able to feel that peace each second of my life
As I know you are there every step of the way
I am not there yet, it is a process I need to go through
For the time being, I will hold on to those nights
But those nights were a long time ago
Those nights when we had our long conversation
In the early hours
Just the two of us
I want to feel that intimacy again
When I can share whatever is on my mind
When you shower me with all the love and wisdom
When there are no more secrets, no more pride
Pure honesty, pure love, and hurts
Precious moments. I miss that.
I have so many things to share with you
Perhaps we should meet. Tonight?
I cannot remember when was the last time we spoke with each other
I miss that. Precious moments
Those nights
In the early hours
When there were just the two of us and nobody else
Precious moments. I miss that
Those nights
When I told you whatever was on my mind
When you showered me with all the love and wisdom
There were no more secrets. Only simple peace
There were a lot of words and silence
Occasional smiles and tears
Pure love and hurts
How can the twos be put side by side?
It does not seem fair, I know
I do all the taking while you do all the giving
Yet you never seem to mind
You just keep on giving. And loving
Can I ever be like you?
Can I be you? Or is this a statement too bold to make?
Those nights
When I could really feel you beside me
I was about to say 'in me'
but people might misunderstood our relationship
But 'within me' is actually the more correct term
You were closer than my own veins
As you promised in one of your letters
Precious moments. I miss that
I wondered why I felt so restless
Where was the peace that I thought I have found once?
I have my friends and family around me
I am at home. I have all the things that might make people envious
I am lucky, I am fully aware of that. And I am grateful for that
Yet I felt heavy inside – I am confused
I wanted to blame the chaotic environment around me
But I know I could not
If there is somebody to blame, it would be me
Even then you would say there is nobody to blame
It is a process I have to go through
To realize that there is no higher love than yours
To know there is nowhere I would rather be than to be with you
Only by remembering you, that I can feel peace
I know I should not just count on only those nights
I should be able to feel that peace each second of my life
As I know you are there every step of the way
I am not there yet, it is a process I need to go through
For the time being, I will hold on to those nights
But those nights were a long time ago
Those nights when we had our long conversation
In the early hours
Just the two of us
I want to feel that intimacy again
When I can share whatever is on my mind
When you shower me with all the love and wisdom
When there are no more secrets, no more pride
Pure honesty, pure love, and hurts
Precious moments. I miss that.
I have so many things to share with you
Perhaps we should meet. Tonight?
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