Category: Learning

Choice

Learning, Poetic, Those People

—

Choice’s falling star
Brightened in a quiet dark night,
Orbited to earth.

respecting this family for their choice of happiness, knowing that i will never be able to do so

inspiring me to at least enjoy simpler life and to accept all blessings more happily

Shadow

Learning, Map It!, Poetic
Is it the shadow
Or the real you show to me?
Distinguished beauty—

—-

i can’t remember which one is the shadow and which one is the real — i don’t want to observe further to find which is which

what i know the castle is beautiful day and night 💝

Balance

Learning, Map It!, Poetic
Is it tug of war
Or pendulum played within?
Two polar extremes—

—-

decision making is about choosing

winning one interest…

….and letting the other conform

there shall be a stop at one balanced point at which the momentum reaches its maturity or its exhaustion 💝

Bubble

Learning, Map It!, Poetic
A bubble’s bursting,
United with the free air.
Would you please join me?

—

Although Kyoto has a lot of impressive shrines, my favourite is not there. Mine is Izumo Taisha in Shimane prefecture about 343 km from Kyoto.

When visiting other shrines in Japan, I was so aware of being in Japan. In Izumo Taisha I got home: sunny, green, serene and unexplainably blissful. There were many visitors but my senses didn’t absorb their presence as if the hot air and bright light muffled their noise and wrapped me in a safe bubble bursting when my last step left the shrine front gate.

Romantic!

a long walk from the gate to the shrine — i remember it was a scorching hot day in August 2018 and i was humming while walking 😇

ablution, my daily ritual that i find also so soothing in Japan shrine especially in Izumo Taisha

torii 💝 a gate to the shrine yard

this is Izumo Taisha! 💝

shimenawa (sacred straw rope)

i only go to this coffee shop with my colleagues, but i wholeheartedly believed drinking Starbucks coffee was a nice thing; only in Izumo! right outside the shrine complex

Izumo Taisha, Shimane

Castle

Learning, Map It!, Poetic
Castles small or big
Stand on a hill among trees
Wave to the white clouds.

—

Matsue Castle, from afar (2018)

Matsue Castle, closer view (2018)

there is no reason to not thank life for making me me; with all the ups and downs, zig-zagging, winding roads, flood and quake, fake and genuine people around; i survive and become more and more relaxed — like Matsue Castle, my life is small, humble but strong enough and sweetly suitable for me 💝

Matsue Castle, Shimane

Castle

Learning, Poetic
She builds a castle
Protecting and comforting.
Illuminated—

—-

Nagoya Castle under the moonlight (2014)

Nagoya Castle under the sunlight (2014)

wishing to explore another castle soon 💝

Nagoya Castle

White Is Enough

Learning
Last night
I dreamt
All white.
Today the dreams
Come true.

White is paper
On which I write,
With which I hope,
Through which I walk,
By which I am guided.

White is that
I trust,
Love,
Respect,
Witness.

I will be white
Even if it is broken.
Broken white—
That is more
Than just enough.

—-

Wear white and you’ll feel good!

💝

in outer from Hanoi; white is good even in the dark

in a white short-sleeve kebaya from Uluwatu Handmade Balinese Lace

parang in white from Batik Baronggung, Tulungagung, my mother’s town 💝

white linen is a simple comfort

white apparel makes me feel good 🥰 the white hair does too 🤩

feel good as good as white dreams flying to find their home 💝

Pak Gita & Dr Omar Suleiman

Learning

First listen this Ramadhan morning. Thank you as always, Pak Gita for helping us broaden horizon making us easy to respect and love others for the sake of humanity. 🙏🏼

never thought an angry boy can become this patient 🙏🏼

good faith, one thing all human beings need to respect each other — whatever the good faith is based on, hopefully on true colours of their heart snd soul

Self Discovery

Learning

Remembering time when I joined a self discovery workshop in Chisholme, Hawick. One of the daily task was cutting wood. It was assigned to a friend called Gill because she was strong and sturdy.

Me? Harvesting potatoes, raking the dried leaves at the yards, making bread, ironing the bedsheets, polishing silverware and making the table before meal! All exciting!

I miss that day!

Salaam.

Sun, Day

Learning, Poetic
Hello, Sun
Today is your day.
Be bright.
Be warm.
Be nice to whomever is home.
Taste delicious.
Taste good.
Taste homy to whomever is lost.

—-

weekend is about waking up late with selfie 🥱

cooking whatever i want 😍

(re)watching movies while cooking — iPad is forced to perch on the plate rack 😁

Being Human

Learning, Poetic
I thought I am kind
But no,
Dogs are kinder.
I thought I am strong
But no,
Dogs rock my heart.
I thought I am me
But not
Yet.
Dogs know who they are,
They live as dogs
As they are.
I live as what I want to be,
Even
When being inhumane human
Is what gives me benefits.

—-

watched this movie in today’s flight and cried — how dogs’ life is more genuine than mine🙏🏼

Haw! 💝

Butterfly

Learning, Poetic, This Person
They’re flying
Around colours and shapes
In a garden
Where the gliding fragrance
And dripping nectars
Invite them
To celebrate
One phase
Before the next.

—

in Subak, Ubud wearing new clothes from Sukawati market (only for SGD30) and butterflies in my tummy 😁

Jeepney

Learning, Map It!
Jeepney
On the busy lanes
Tough and in style
Like a rascal
Chasing
Wild kites

—

What about Manila that makes me feel home other than those dedicated working partners and turon (fried banana)?

Jeepney!

My childhood town used to have public transportation exactly like Philippines’ Jeepney; we called them PC (pronounce as “pay say” in English phonetics). They were everyone’s favourite for the space, air circulation and low price. Pak Sugeng was one PC owner cum driver who became all women’s sweetheart for his patience to wait for those women doing their errands in the central market and his helpfulness to lift all the shopped goods. What a good day it was!

Now Philippines is the blessed country with Jeepney. These ex wat vehicles during World War Ii are truly reliable and strong means of transportation for the people there. I took Jeepney once when having opportunity to visit Lapu-Lapu City in 2012. I think I paid for PHP50 for the ride!

Jeepney should be kept as a social heritage. It is unique, historical and supporting the life of those surrounding.

This vehicle is relevant for those with high resilience and survival spirit like Filipino and Indonesian!

Thank you, Manila and its surrounding for the friendship and lessons.

💝

silver Jeepney

green Jeepney

turquoise Jeepney

Quezon City’s traffic: look at the fragile egg tray that is paradoxical with the sturdy Jeepney

pink Jeepney! 😍

hey, light green Jeepney!

it was so stable and confident! it is Jeepney!

Be Alive!

Learning, Poetic, This Person
There are two children
Living in one life, playing,
Generating joy.

—-

never want to lose the child within — they’re the source of joy! 💝

Stationary

Learning, Poetic
There’s a place in heart
Where things won’t be moved— stay still.
Hidden eyes know where.

—

a borrowed workstation today — oh, sambal super pedas! 🤩

a (rather) messy work station tonight before slumberland— oh! cable everywhere! 😇

Deeper and Deeper

Learning
I thought
I saw you
At the gate
But not.

I walked,
Am still walking
Deeper in
To a forest.

I thought
I would meet you
Somewhere
But not.

I saw you
Waving hand
To me
But not.

I run
To you,
You vanish
With a shadow.

I saw
Numbers around,
The shadow owns you
And brings you away.

I want to go back
To where I started;
But I am deeply lost
In a forest of you.

I stopped and saw a light.
I don’t chase anymore.
Too much hide and seek.
Too many games.

I look up,
I look in,
I look forward
To a love within.

—

i just want to sit down through this Ramadhan and find a string to tidy up all these scattered beads

About Time

Learning, Poetic
Time is
Lightning striking
And that’s it.
A patch
Of burnt earth is
A trace
Of surprise.

When we meet
Someday,
Ignore the time.
Let’s count it
With heart beats
And senses 
That touch.

Let me fall
In love with
You
Over and over again
As long as
Time
Can be defined.

—

is one chasing the other or the kite? it is love that makes both run and laugh, a kite that keeps the child within alive

picture from Pinterest

Blue

Learning, Poetic
Blue is
Sky.
Blue is
Sea.
Blue is
You,
When smiling at me.

Blue is
Peaceful.
Blue is
Deep.
Blue is
Bruised by
You ignoring me.

Blue is
Seen.
Blue is
Felt.
Blue is
Angel you sent to me.

—

peaceful sky that lullabies — i slept almost the whole flight

i thought of changing to 44A but decided to keep 47A…

…. only to find that my seat number is the number of gate we disembarked 🪶

i am superstitious 😂

Angel Number

Learning, Poetic
Angel talks through signals
Differently read through places.
Some codes break others.

—

in Chinese number 4 sounds like death; but in another numerology version it is a symbol of solidity, stability and confidence

across the aisle is a marching 3 which is a powerful number, it symbolises communication, optimism and quest 😎

angel numbers are constantly around me so i never deny when they say to me “you’re always lucky!”

Life Is A Room (sharing)

Learning

My teacher said that life is a huge room with so many doors. Human beings can enter life from any door they wish to. It can be religion, philosophy, business, architecture, culture, art, sociology, psychology, sports, and so on, and so forth.

And they can choose more than one door.

My teacher said those entering from different doors will find the same understanding about life. No exception. It is just about time.

My main door is words and colours through which I find how beautiful life is when portrayed in such a way. Even a perished ship may look dramatically exquisite told by a literary man or by a drawer/painter.

I hope what I understand about life is accurate enough for me to finally embrace everything with total acceptance. Or if not, I get it right long before the next stop.

Salaam.

💝

painting in Pukako, Subak