My beloved said You need pens, I give you trees. You need ink, I give you oceans. Write love poems with love Until you run out of paper.
I said I need much paper I want as much as I want My love poems are trillions and more.
My beloved said I won’t let you write forever The last paper is not for you It is for me to invite poets for a party Where a special spread is ready.
I asked How much paper will I get Will you give me as much as I want Will you let me write trillions of love poems?
My beloved said Write as much as you want I’ll give you as much as you write You’ll get your paper for your trillions As long as they’re yours.
My beloved said Be dignified, write your own poems, As the spread will be only for those Not claiming from others’ names.
—
big lunch, mini spread for my hard work today – my parents’ message about how to enjoy luxury of life: be dignified to “eat” what you’ve worked and share with love 🙏🏼
Sky blue, Beloved, Drawn in peace and protection Under the gold dome—
—
Today’s late afternoon sky showed much turquoise with the white looking like mosaics of peace and protection sacred words in the domes of blue mosques.
The beast, Beloved, The you not well tamed by grace— Embrace it. Bless it.
—
I cleaned my Instagram postings from some rubbish posted earlier 😂 and decided to let 1,666 as the final number of postings. My friends said “You’ve got healthy thumbs! Why 666? That’s evil number!”
I don’t believe 666 is evil number or number of the beast. There is another alternative that is more neutral and entertaining:
666 has had a bad reputation because of its biblical meaning as “the number of the beast,” but it’s mostly unwarranted. The spiritual meaning of 666 is an encouragement to refocus. Seeing 666 tells you to pay closer attention to any fixation you currently have on earthly problems and details. An obsession with getting everything right and taking things too seriously is a distraction from the bigger picture.
An appearance of 666 reminds us that we humans can become too wrapped up in our “problems” and lose sight of what’s really important to us and in life in general. If 666 appears in your path, it is a divine nudge of redirection. You might be overfocusing on something trivial to the point that you’re losing sight of what’s really most important.
Take note of when and where you saw the angel number. This could lend insight into the area of your life that needs refocusing. If you keep seeing 666 while you’re stressed out about a certain friend, it could be a sign that you’re not remembering the bigger lesson of relationships is to learn and grow alongside someone—not to dwell on issues but to remember that even the issues are all part of the process.
Continuously seeing 666 is an alert to shift your focus in order to relieve some of the stress in your life. You’ve become wrapped up in worries that distract you from creative solutions. Take these sightings as an opportunity to slow down and assess where your mental and physical energy are being spent.
This angel number is a guidepost pointing toward recommitment to nurturing your foundation—your physical, mental, and emotional well-being. It’s also a reminder to let go of the things you can’t control. Make a list of what you value and what you’re grateful for, and focus on that—releasing any need to control or fixate on the perfect outcome. Perfection doesn’t exist! Let yourself rest and regroup, knowing the universe is supporting you.
I’ll keep the 666 for some time as I need to let go of too huge a thing having wrapped me for some time. Everybody including me deserves respect but if not getting it from those much expected, it means it is not what I deserve to receive. I sincerely accept it. 💝
You know, Beloved, West, east, north, south are true lies. Meet the truth in here.
—
Info and data are easy to harvest nowadays, wisely and smartly use them to find (the least inaccurate) truth (that is needed to make conscious decisions).
What is love and trust? Wind and water pushing boat Sailing to a land—
—
Yes, love can come mysteriously like Capt Nemo’s Nautilus suddenly emerged from sea surface. She might love one that she doesn’t logically expect to love at all. Love is an active emotion. If she loves, she does. If she doesn’t love, she doesn’t. Accept and embrace it with its pain and foolishness.
Yet, trust can promote or demote one to or from a position like how Capt Nemo finally trusted Aronnax, Ned and Conseil as his main crew in the submarine. Trust is a living action. Test and investigate it with loyalty and integrity. If she trusts, she’ll promote the one to an inner circle. If she distrusts, she demotes one to outer layer.
Aaah! Love is always sweet in word— just that some people don’t have sufficient vocabulary to express and to understand. Trust is always inevitable in number — just that some people are accustomed to data manipulating to look good and so hiding the fact.
Daruma city You’ve witnessed left eyes were drawn. Wish me the right ones.
–
A group of people in Takasaki wished me a happy birthday in an online meeting. A real surprise that made my day! I almost cried of happiness! 🥺
This evening one of them went back to Tokyo and she sent me messages with photos taken in Takasaki station. Another sweet surprise!
ありがとうございます, AWさん。また来年お会いしましょう！
Looking forward to a set of daruma dolls of different colours I ordered from Amazon (because of cancelled plan to buy them in its original city). Not a real surprise but hope the dolls give me a little shade of surprise! 🤩
Salaam.
daruma doll in Takasaki station sent with a message “Happy birthday, Rike. Come on draw my eyes!” 😂“Enjoy!” another message with another photo 😂
Dream home, Beloved, Sitting with all senses on, Capturing moments—
—
Lunch break + very very heavy rain = early wish of birthday getaway to come true!
sitting here while writing a bunch of love letters to whomever I want – 2023
long chat in Ubud – 2024
tranquil nights in Angkor – 2025
ocean air breathing in Ninh Thuan – 2026
walking in the depth of souk – 2027
To be continued with more destinations in 2028, 2029, 2030, 2031, 2032, 2033, 2034, 2035, 2036, 2037, 2038, 2039, 2040, 2041, 2042, 2043, 2044, 2045, 2046, 2047, 2048, 2049, 2050, 2051, 2052, 2053, 2054, 2055, 2056, 2057, 2058, 2059, 2060, 2061, 2062, 2063, 2064, 2065…. As if I knew how long I will wander around here? I hope to live as long as time is mentally and physically enjoyable with family and friends without bothering them.
Long life, fresh and sane!
Then came the calculation part…. A lot of coins to spend to comfortably celebrate that way in those particular places. Easy! Just need a clover pendant to make it happen. 😝
4-leaf good luck charm immediately wanted!!! to make dreams come true 🍀
Thanks for the rain and daydream. I know there is more than meets the eye! Life is so rich and I accept all the gifts.
Clay art, Beloved, Hugged by earth, hardened by sun Livened by heaven—
—
In Java island clay was commonly used not only to make art work but also as material to make kitchenware, eating utensils, plant pots, etc. Kasongan, Yogyakarta is one of famous villages of clay work industry in which different types of clay art and utensils are mass produced or customised as per buyers’ request.
One clay utensil that I often used in my childhood was kendi, a clay jug used to contain drinking water – it makes drinking water smell subtly earthy and feels cooly fresh. Children would dispense water from the jug to glass to drink; adult would usually just lift the kendi slightly above mouth level and dispense the water directly to their open mouth without touching the tip of the kendi mouth to their mouth — whoa so difficult to explain!
Kendi is not however commonly used as the function is now replaced by plastic containers and refrigerator. It is now mostly used in Javanese traditional ceremony or in some households that still want to keep some traditional way of life. I prepare 5 kendi to compliment the fridge in my Javanese home — 5 kendi are ready before the dining table is ready 😁
kendi – used to contain drinking water at home, outside the gate of Javanese houses (for passers by to drink when thirsty), in the field, almost everywhere
Kendi is actually an acronym (kerata basa in Javanese grammar) of “kendalining diri” (kendalining: control, diri: self) or self control. In Javanese culture keratabasa is used to tie a good teaching to what people is doing. So, practically kendi is not a personal utensil like spoon and fork, anyone can share it. Through the name Javanese know that using kendi, there shall be some self control applied. When someone drinks directly from the clay jug, one should do it carefully to minimise the risk of dropping the kendi and break it; and not greedily gulp all water as other family members or friends also need fresh water in that hot day.
Culturally (at least according to Greek mythology and Quran) human being’s physical is created from clay —like kendi— that is given soul by the Source and so we are breathing. So it is natural that human beings are fundamentally attached to earth. Yet how much ever human beings want to stay as firm, strong, young, beautiful like the clay coming from earth, it is not possible. There is breathing that fans the “fire of life” in the clay body and when it stops “fanning”, the clay body stops functioning.
Can’t live forever, some like to play “forever pretending”. Pretending to be young or beautiful or firm with plastic surgery. Pretending to be happy with some drugs. Pretending to be more precious than others with fake luxury and conspiracy. Pretending this and that.
Ah! That game! That’s fun indeed! Yet it is not doable for me. Being human is not an easy job, pretending makes it even difficult and complicated and unnecessary. So please count me out. 💃🏽
Hey! If some people want to live forever or stay young, firm, strong, beautiful and fully functional; they’d better be a kendi. 😂
Salaam….
we are too clay art work who will someday be bodily back to earth, while some part will “evanesced”, be absorbed back to the source – before the time, I’ll keep this self enhanced to being human in joy and glee humbly and originally 💝
Weekend morning, Love, Grasses squirm by cold dewdrops; Greeted by the sun.
—
Biking with those knowing how to race fairly is what weekend morning should be!
And when the ride is done everyone is just sitting at the river bank inhaling the smell of wet earth and scents of various plants under the sun that is hiding behind the rain clouds.
Happy weekend! 🚴🏼♂️🚴🏻🚴🏻♀️🚴🏼♂️🚴🏻🚴🏻♀️
nice to be around good friends sitting at the river bank seeing the water lilies,….
Sky gate, Beloved Once opened, cannot be closed. Blessings shower down.
—
How would it feel to be showered with rain of blessings? Intuition is truly a blessing.
Dear, Sky. Thanks for the bright half moon last night which kept reminding me to not regret for telling genuinely with no anger about my intuition that might have offended someone.
Intuition is to be listened. Intuition is not always popping out; yet once popping out, it is always right. Yes, yes, this person is better in to be genuine than to look gorgeous. 🙂
Let’s go out to breathe the freedom and victory. Today still with Blue, let Red take a rest. 💝
Crossroads, Beloved, A while gauging where to go— Follow the North Star.
—
Today’s conversation with one best friend was a bit nostalgic. She talked about how she went to spiritual class (very common in my country to do so for religion or non-religion based teachings) until finally she quit at 45. Her reason was disappointment to teachers. She asked about me and I said quit at 30’s and my disappointment was to myself.
A stubborn student, I wouldn’t listen to what teachers told me to believe or to do. I would ask questions then believed only when choosing to believe; even with good explanation, I wouldn’t believe if not interested to believe.
One example of the fool was when a particular teacher gave “daily task” to recite “Bismillahirrahmanirrahiem”, I didn’t do it even he only asked me to recite it 10x a day, while the other two were 100x a day. “No, Teacher. Why do I have to do it? I already read it as part of Alfatihah recitation in my daily prayer, that’s more than 10x a day,” said I. It was when praying was five times a day for me, oftentimes 7 times!
Bismillahirrahmanirrahiem is a sacred word uttered by Muslim or most traditional non-Muslim Javanese when starting an activity. It means “In the name of Allah The Gracious The Merciful”, some interpret it as “On behalf of Allah The Gracious The Merciful”. By reading it the reader is expected to only do good thing with good intension with love. The teacher also said that reading it we were doing self alignment: align the self with the true self, to be true to ourselves, to easily make decision and to cut short confusion and to always be blessed, to blend action with good intension.
Amazingly all teachers understood the fool and just gave a lot of smiles and books to read which annoyed her more and more. I became frustrated seeing the two good friends gained fast track understanding of life. I decided to quit then did whatever was fun fun fun ignoring the essence of being human being.
Only years later I found that self alignment is very important and I was sorry for realising it late. I finally got it why those two good friends were so peaceful while I was still struggling with almost everything. It was also the year when we found that that dear teacher passed away of old age.
I know where to go because I am fool…. where? to you…. 💗
Now? Learning to care more about inner journey and well being. Whatever happens to me is a consequence of my decision. If the decision is aligned with my true self, it leads to success. If the decision is false and against my true self, it leads to lesson learnt. Lesson learnt leads to better decision. Better decision leads to success. Success to me is not merely material gain, it can be simply being able to smile in tough time. This simple lesson is a result of years of battle for a stupid person like me.
My best friend asked me how now to deal with self alignment esp when in confusion.
Me: I recite Bismillahirrahmanirrahiem cumulatively 300x before night sleep.
BF: Why? Did that teacher come virtually and ask you to?
Me: No. I found that this word is my best to strengthen self-alignment between good intention and action.
BF: Why 300x? He said 10x.
Me: He discounted the price. I’m 30x more valuable than his appraisal.
BF: Arrogant fool!
Me: I’m just a fool.
BF: There are two of us.
Lesson learnt: Always find a way to see my fool not others’. Always find a way to laugh at my own self not at others’.
I don’t want to race. Only safety that I wish So I can meet you.
—
started late today and found the undercharged front lamp, decided to go back to the brighter track, safety first 🧷brighter area near home is always the safest
Gesture, Beloved, Expressed to send a message Addressed with no stamp
—
a simple gesture makes a dark heart shine – whose heart? the performer or the spectator? apparently bothis it he or I who thanks for that day? wherever you are, God bless you! thanks for anonymously making my day! 🙏🏼
Blessings, Beloved, A secret sent as a gift Packed in dusty box—
—
Much sugar today!
not so good a taste outside! plain and plain and weird! almost threw it away but decided to compromise with the weird taste…..…. sweet and crunchy inside, surprise! not even in the item description. thanks for letting me compromise with it first 👍🏽always love it since forever!
Dream home, Beloved, A place where nature meets hearts; Hearts warmly greet souls—
—
The conversation with a long lost friend came to a topic of “where we want to live if ending living alone?”
Living in Singapore was never part of my dream. A visit in 2010 gave me impression that I would die of hunger in a week with Indonesia salary. 😁
Now this city is a lovely second home; my impression has changed. I won’t die because of hunger but I will die because of loneliness if I stay single retiring here. I still can’t find enough friends like those in home country. There are three but all of them will retire in Bali and New Zealand sooner than me.
Residing in a landed property where gardening and backyard dining is affordable is a preference, yet I don’t have the luxury of living in such place here. And I don’t want to die alone in a locked condo found rotten after days or even weeks. Oh God, please protect me from such horrible thing. Amen….
F: I’ve always wanted to live in Ubud and it will happen very soon. I’ll open a spa with all traditional herbal from all over Indonesia. I’ll quit my job soon. I want to live my own life as me, no one can tell me to do this and that anymore! No bloody politics anymore! Visit me often! You’ll find my spa super special! I’ll give you discount! Be a regular customer! Hey! You once wanted to live in Thailand?
Me: Someone informed me about a good property in low price near my favourite hotel in Ayutthaya. Yet Thai have controversial life style I’m not comfortable with in a way. I’m too simple, sometimes too honest and can be against those status-oriented that I might not be able to adapt well. Not a true dream! Hey! Actually love to live in Kyoto!
F: You’ll die in three months after you complete second round of shrine, temple and ancient house hopping! 😂
Me: Dying of walking! 😂
What a refreshing conversation! And yes, I’ll visit her spa soon! 😍
Lesson learnt: Will only live with those I love and loving me where home is a real feel. No excuse.
Salaam…. 💝
gebyok – the Javanese teak wood door symbolizing the host’s living in welfare, peace and harmony with nature 💝angkul-angkul – the Balinese gate symbolizing warmth welcome to guests and privacy of the host at the same time 💝
In harmony, love, The art, the breath, the weather With the city vibe—
—
I prefer enjoying the artistic vibes of a city to enjoying the crowd of its party or clubbing. People’s effort to entertain others through art on the street while at the same time earning a living is more humane than people’s effort to escape from their allegedly humdrum life by forgetting who they really are (my humble opinion).
May all beings be happy. 💝
performer who stunned a boy (and the spectators behind him incl me) with her dance and smiles – I’ll definitely be back to country coded +31 😍enjoying music in a city corner – should be back someday 😍 (country coded +32)the literary man on the wall of a city – should I be back to country coded +44?
Surprise, Beloved, Dew drops slide, meet in a line; River of blessings—
—
Weekend is mostly about staying home finding sweet surprises.
Thank you for the weekly break and lots of mini blessings!
mini cuty! thank you!this one was let go for not re-blooming after 2 years, today I found her stunning surprise! thank you! the bud stem! thank you!bathroom window nook gang is also in action! thank you!
Lover, Beloved, With whom air and joy is shared, By whom tears soon dried—
—
Being excited about solo travel wished in near future has made me remember places visited alone years ago. One of them is Madrid. Exciting one! Also ridiculous one! This trip was where I had: Korean food for lunch (my hunger came earlier, while people in Madrid have lunch at around 2pm so the most recommended Madrid restaurant was not open yet), Chinese silk bought (order from my beautiful best friend who was craving for it), lapis lazuli earring studs purchased for €80 (found them only S$40 in Lucky Plaza, might be only IDR300,000 in Jakarta), walking around the same street 4 times to find one place that was shown very clearly in Google Map…. I was lost in mind because of too many handsome faces on the road 😂
Madrid though won’t be a city I will go alone anymore. This place is too romantic to go without a lover.
One more thing, be careful of pickpockets! Too many, too many!
Salaam. 💝
I still believe I saw Cristiano Ronaldo in Starbucks there but none of my friends believe me 😆
Rainy day, Beloved, Compliment from up above— Warm heart’s cheering up.
—
Mendoan is tempe blanketed with mixture of rice flour, wheat flour, ground garlic, ground coriander seed, sliced scallions, salt and water. It is half-cooked in deep fry method in high heat of fire.
Yummy!!! I love deep fried food in a rainy weekend! Let’s make more! 💝
not perfectly healthful but this is the best for snacking in rainy day – perfectly served with bird chilli 😍
rike jokanan 
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