She travels light.
She brings a few packed
And you, in a locket
Kept safe with a chain
Worn around the neck
Reminding the traveler
That nothing is left.
—
Nothing Is Left
A Home (ranting)
A bird builds a nest in what its mother describes a home. Protection—
—
No one is truly detached from one’s root and that is a foundation that should not be shaken. Foundation is the last and foremost protecting part of a building. When others try to shake adult mature’s foundation principles, they are sooner or later surely destroying a construction that has been built carefully and systematically through parenting, education and culture especially in early age.
Still want to change your friends to be like what you want them to be? It is either killing them inside or killing you inside. Worse is both don’t realise that the other is dying or dead inside; even think there is a good change considered “a success to educate (wrong) friends”. Ah….! Illusion.
Solution? Eh? How would you treat a beautiful gift given to you? Don’t try changing others’ foundation principles. Instead accompany them grow to their best version as they are.
And for those not even appreciating their own or others’ roots: congratulations, you are doomed. Oops! I mean it takes longer time for you to reach true goals. 😁
Salaam.
💝
Ceremony
There’s fire kindled, prayer sung, fragrance bellowed in ceremony.
—
Four Ladies & Star Cluster
Four ladies in blanket gaze at the gleaming stars.“Come what may.” They say.
—
(Day)Dreamers
A white lamb on the lap of a dreamer daydreams of her dreaming sweet.
—
Deep Sea
White foam on turquoise sweeps back to dark blue deeper to where secrets are.
—
Angels (sharing)
The wings are flapping sprinkling blessings through the air. Breathe them. Be blissful.
—
In Arabic angel is called malaaikatun or malaaikah or simply malaaikat (الْمَلٰٓئِكَةِ) literally meaning “power that governs”. In Islamic tradition the “power that governs” are grouped based on what type of assigned power they govern that are many and one of them is “power to govern protection”.
I always believe I am fully protected through the existence of the angels surrounding me although I am not interested to discuss about their form; people say angels have wings, others say they are made from light, some say malaaikah are systemic laws to run the universe, and so on and so forth. It doesn’t matter to me. That they exist and follow the assigned “power to govern” is enough for me.
Only when we listen, we will hear. We will hear the songs of the angels, the songs of universe, the songs of the heart, the songs of the soul. I prefer my angels to sing jazzy songs in this end of long weekend. 😁
Listening to heart…. 💗
Salaam.
Heaven & Earth
Does heaven and earth exist other than in a lover’s smile? Yes. Dream.
—
3 1st on Jan 1st
There is always first.
A tree greeting breeze and sky
Comes from minute seed.
—
Year by Year (Life Long Resolution)
Thank you, 2022 for every single second spent together. You are a stronger part of what I’ve been building with love. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
And thanks to all years passing, too. I’ll miss you. 💝
—
Life is wonderful that she is eager about it and is willing to expand and to keep up with what she is becoming. She is the pilot, she is the plane. She is the destination, she is the direction. She is the standard, she is the conformance. She is the alignment, she is the aligned. She is enough.
It is not others’ responsibility that she feels good or not good. The feel existing is because she allows it to be. And the vice versa.
—
2023, be my excellent canvas of feel-good-no-matter-what. Clarity, sufficiency, integrity as in good life, beautiful love, genuine laughter 💗
Alfatihah.
💝
About tumpeng or buceng (in Bahasa Indonesia)
Pho Bo
‘m preparing and tasting homemade Vietnamese pho bo! This beef noodle never fails my day. Thanks to anyone who invented and perfect this recipe. This is main course in this New Year’s Eve. 😊
Count down continues!
—
St Elmo’s Fire
Water! Water!
St Elmo’s fire!
Water!
No.
No water for St Elmo’s fire.
A good omen.
Amen! Amen!
St Elmo’s fire!
Amen!
—
New year again! Thanks so much for reaching this point like a plane (an inch to) landing smoothly. Seat belt still on! Airplane mode still on! Yet the pilot is smiling widely with fire in her heart brighter and brighter, no red anymore, now almost blue to white!
Count down! 💗
😊
About another St Elmo’s fire
Karma Pala
Ing karma pala tan ana kang isa mlayu. Kudu ngunduh.
Nandure siji, thukule satus. Panene pitungatus.
Tan kena kinira, mung Gusti kang pirsa. Janma mung krida.
Anteping kalbu, tekating jiwa. Slamet
Ing kabeh mangsa.
Rahayu.
(geguritan Jawa)
—
Counting Blessings
There’s always blessing counted through breathing. Close eyes, the air prays for you.
—
Days Hum with A Smile
Days hum with a smile,
Swiping hours of hunger
Leaving only joy.
—
Be Light-Hearted, My Dear
Heart should be as light as a swaying feather to enjoy life with only feel good no matter what.
In Javanese someone with heavy heart is called mbentoyong which literally means “bent and almost broken by the heavy loads”, it is associated with a tree whose branches are bent and almost broken because of heavy loads of ripened fruits”. This kind of person will not find happiness and joy in any point of one’s life; one will misunderstand alone with loneliness and so one will always find refuge among crowd; one is confused about one’s self; one will always refer to what others say about one as if their opinions are more important than one’s own. As long as one is not willing to unload the unnecessary burdens in heart, one will always be mbentoyong better and better and finally be a master of mbentoyong.
It is heavy. I know it is heavy. It is painful. I know it is painful. Be cured, dear heavy hearts whenever you feel heavy. Lightness of heart is a comfort even in discomfort. 🥰
I bless this heart which is light and swaying with the flow of clean river inside. Calm and witty and fun! Thank you for the feel good no matter what. Not easy but doable—
Salaam.
💗
Romance
Romance is a dimmed space under a dome bedazzled with glowing stars.
—
Love Eat or Love Pray? 🥰 (sharing)
I can’t know anymore what makes this area special for me, whether the Masjid Sultan or Wardah Books or two favourite restaurants here. Anyway at least two are in must-visit list at the same time. After visiting Masjid Sultan to submit charity from my fellow Indonesian, today’s preferred was Hokkaido (halal) ramen as Wardah Books was closed and the Turkish restaurant was too crowded — I don’t like crowded restaurant.
FYI, Masjid Sultan is surrounded by hundreds of restaurants and shops; it is an equivalent with old-time mosque which was always built around market place in order for people to reach it in no time.
When I meet friends in this area, it is either with a statement “let’s meet up at the mosque” or “meet at *** restaurant” or “Wardah Books this time?”. There is one question that my friends and I like to ask each other as either teaser or respect: “eating 1st or praying*) 1st?” The answer?
*) praying here is not a flash pray before starting activities like simply saying “In the name of The Gracious and The Merciful” but praying is around 5-10 minutes protocol that is normally done by fellow Muslim.
Group #1 (religious friends, they can pray “forever”, wow!): Pray first. It is more important than anything including eating. We should prioritise God who has given us everything, others can wait. Don’t make God jealous.
Group #2 (rascals, will let you pray while they start eating): Eat first. God won’t force you to pray when you are hungry. Better you eat remembering that you will pray rather than you pray and your thought is wandering around all kinds of food.
Group #3 (clown, bitter that makes all chatters jokers): Don’t ask me, I am fasting everyday because of having no food at all and so I don’t pray because I have nothing to thank for.
Group #4 (good jugglers, like Group #3 but to the next level): Why so picky? Can’t we do both at the same time? You can choose at the mosque or in the restaurant!
Some jokes are actually dead serious that the way people respond can either be considered as intelligence or harassment or abuse rather than as just fun. Yet I share mine as part of showing how religious comedy exists among Javanese Muslims (there are way more that I will never share publicly to avoid misunderstanding and misinterpretation); no harassment or abuse whatsoever. I even see philosophy in many if not all jokes. 😝
Ah! Life is so rich, why feel no good just because of one point of view?
Salaam.
About Masjid Sultan or Sultan Mosque
About Wardah Books
About ICHIKOKUDO
Sweetly Smile
Get home, sweetly smile seeing beauty greets softly. How are you, my love?
—
The Right Pink
The rose apple is pink enough to be harvested. It’s the right time.
—
About Lucy Van Pelt
They Call It This, I Call It That
Or I call it this, they call it that. It is it. Pronouns that fool around—
Some know, like telling. Some know, don’t tell enjoying the fun of knowing—
Some names are easy. Some are hard. All refer to one uttered many.
Some are fooled with words, some with views, lots with both. Few are clear with both
Which one is called a blessing? Ah…. Choose a door and say your oath.
Salaam.
—
Travelers
We are all
Full time travelers
Visiting space of everywhere
Staying in faraway nowhere
Oh, Beloved.
Listen to the whooshing comets
Telling you flash news
About your singing heart.
Oh, Beloved.
Look at the satellites
Showing you hopes and vibes
About your cheering head.
We are all
Full time travelers
Finding space called a home
Among houses that were loomed.
Found!
After lost—
Thank you, Love.
—
Super Charged
Super charged young boys can beat super charged old champs just with light laughter.
—
Busy Faking
How busy you are
Both
Covering
What should not
Be covered.
I am watching
Merrily
With a sweet smile
From
My sweet heart.
If it is true,
Show the world
With no shame,
No pretension.
Or else….
You both
Live in fake
False life
Full with false
Fake smiles.
How busy you are
Both showing me
Only me
While hiding
From most of the world.
—
Shadow
A shadow haunts me.
How peaceful and safe knowing
One’s walking nearby.
—
Merry Christmas
Christmas is coming at the doorstep of warm heart singing the carols.
—
Fastfood
Life pace gets faster,
Food follows the same pattern.
Time and space collide.
—
My nephews always want fast food. They said it is good and fast. On the contrary I am not a big fan of fast food. So we always go to fast food restaurants first for them to eat then they’ll drive me to local restaurants for mine.
It takes longer time but giving fair treatment to all fellow travelers are the right thing to do.
Salaam.
😘
Old Bone
Old bone works so hard
To chase young heart. Worth doing
For meaningful life—
—
Morning
Morning gives her vibe with fragrance of dews to start a day that is bright.
—
Sky’s Blessing in Uluwatu
Rain is a blessing
From the sky before starting
Journey to the north.
—
Me: Boys, the rain seem to stay heavy. Boys, are you ok?
Nephews: Yes, it is fun! We just want to pee again!
Me: Don’t pee on your pants ya.
What a conversation!
rike jokanan 
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