graphs of my Universe
Their eyes see pig pink.
She sees cherry blossom pink.
Pink can be anything, anywhere.
Not anyone though sees beauty in pink.
My heart is red
Yet it feels ever pink.
—-
cherry blossoms along JR Kobe Line 😍 — almost ten times visiting Japan and this is my very first experience of cherry blossoms
All is best
Like all is well
In someone’s hands
At give time.
Don’t waste any second.
If you have slight time,
Smile like seeing heaven.
It is best
Always.
—-
my best smile this sleepy morning 🥰
other than the precision manufacturing, this is one of best products of Japan! never disappointed with one 😘
Blossom, welcome her
Among tasks and assignments
So she smiles and blooms.
—-
The way we thank for the work we do is by doing our very best for the work we do. There is no other way. Give our better best everyday for the work has given us their best.
Salaam.
cherry blossoms!
more cherry blossoms!
If she says
Love is the only gift,
It is still inaudible
As the doors are all closed
And that room is air-tight.
Unheard—
Even if she screams,
What flies back
Is smooth and soft echo,
The bouncing waves
From a solid wall.
Beautiful—
—-
peace can be as simple as reading vague messages without trying to understand as guessing is not a good habit 💝
Mosquito’s smiling
At a girl grinning of itch.
A mutual joy—
—
i used to learn how to not smile at those at the other side of the table; back to smile after some years — i can lose in some negotiation but i won’t let them smile more genuinely than i do 😁 i grin actually
Veggies on the plate
Tease eyes and brain to gobble
Quickly silently.
—-
Selamat Berbuka Puasa 💝
I should have eaten more slowly and experienced each and every taste with my palate. There should have been no sensation missed: sweet, bitter, salty, sour, gurih (umami). Don’t forget hot and cold.
Alhamdulillah.
Salaam.
yesterday’s Ramadhan breakfast (ifthar): boiled veggies, spicy tuna, boiled egg
today’s: nasi bakar (grilled rice with squid and stinky beans wrapped in banana leaf), boiled veggies, left-over of spicy tuna, grated mango and bangkuang rujak*
Rujak — Rujak (Indonesian spelling) or Rojak (Malay spelling) is a salad dish of Javanese origin, commonly found in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. The most popular variant in all three countries is a salad composed of a mixture of sliced or grated fruit and vegetables served with a spicy palm sugar dressing. It is often described as tangy and spicy fruit salad due to its sweet, hot and spicy dressing made from ground chilli, palm sugar and peanuts.
Bengkoang (Indonesian spelling) or Bangkuang (Malay spelling) is jicama turnip.
My version of rujak: chilli, palm sugar, tamarind and a pinch of salt
What gift is not wrapped?
Blooming flowers in April.
Warm and colourful—
—-
she is sitting next to the shower so she is generously bathed twice a day
balcony gang 💝 watered once in three days plus some blessings from the rain
at the corner of the shower room, behind the glass door so she doesn’t bath too often 😎 but still blooming 💝
Is life abundant?
She asked.
They said,
When you have everything.
She walked away,
There was never everything
In imperfection.
She says.
Life is generous.
They say,
Because you have everything.
She walks away,
There is never perfection
In everything.
Life is abundant,
She agrees.
They ask,
Do you have everything? You are not perfect.
She walks away,
There is always perfection
In anything imperfect.
—-
anger has long gone but sadness is still lingering like a hungry fox hunting a chicken 🙃 yet life is so generous to me offering sweet imperfection and simplest perfection that might be just a dream for those perfect perfection — so thank you as always! 💝
giving myself time and space to live again 💝
Where is sun when sets?
Where is moon in the day light?
They share love through time.
—
Interaction is about reciprocity; even when we are alone, we are interacting with some tool of life or with the deep self within.
When it is not reciprocated, interaction is not genuinely true.
Salaam.
a grandma with her grandson
a mother with her son
family gathering
feeding two grandsons
let’s climb!
hi, dove! said the little boy
what’s in the water? said he
bubbles!!!
what is that over there? ahh hope! ☺️
am i your headache? no, you are my universe 😂
don’t move, just smile! someone is taking our picture ☺️
she is asking her cam to see what she sees 🙏🏼
our daughter is playing, i am sitting near her
hey! clear up! i am gonna land!
electrocution my a**! 😁
Every weekend
This heart multiplies.
They wander
Everywhere
Through music, pictures, poems and prayers
Sending peace
And love
That might not be
Returned.
What a sweet weekend!
—-
although you’ve targeted me with uncertainty, (pic: Banksy’s)
although you prefer war (pic: Banksy’s)
although you ignorantly hijack the love, (pic: Banksy’s)
sweet heart is still what you deserve,
no missile but beautiful heart should be sent to you (pic: Banksy’s)
freshened and showered with warm heart is your right
at the end a bunch of flowers will be thrown to you (pic: Banksy’s)
hahahaha…. i am always laughed by my best friends for constantly being “love sick” (pic: Banksy’s)
—
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
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 💝
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 💝
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
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 💝
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 💝
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 💝
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 😁
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! 💝
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 😁
There are two children
Living in one life, playing,
Generating joy.
—-
never want to lose the child within — they’re the source of joy! 💝
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! 😇
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
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 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 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!”
What is dream weekend?
Mine is
A walk in the green,
Smiles under the blue,
Jokes with warm sun,
Chats with cool breeze,
Glanced by rice herons,
Chased by crazy ducks,
Followed by spoiled dog,
Side by side with good friends,
Wrapped up with 5-cent luxury in banana leaf
And huge thanks to
Whomever-whomever.
—
I don’t need a place.
They can build a palace
To place me.
I’m not a queen,
Please gift it to someone more beautiful and loving luxury.
I deserve just a space.
It can be a table for two
To chat with me.
I’m a traveler,
Please go on a quest with me through joy and challenges to be.
Let me clean my place
For a little space.
Now and here
With or without
You—
—-
About MELUKAT
Linguistically melukat is derived from the old Javanese word “lukat” which means to “cleanse” or “purify”.
Melukat itself is understood as bathing or cleansing with water that aims to cleanse both body and mind, to refresh the spirit and dissolve away any negative influences. It is also believed to cure non medical diseases and sickness of the spirit and whether it does or not, a session bathing in holy waters will certainly make you feel good.
It is a symbol of letting go or releasing something burdening within us. It is a ritual that can be performed many times, in fact the more, the merrier as it can only lead to good things. It is also a kind of self purification that is very common by Indonesians of Hindu and Javanese Muslim in different ways as ritual.
Hindu in Bali will do it as frequent ritual, even for tourist attraction in some way.
Muslim have daily ablution (washing face/nostrils/earlobes/hands/feet) and mandatory bathing for women after menses or married couples after sexual intercourse. They also have another self purification affected by original Javanese tradition called “Adus Suran” or “taking a bath in Assyura/Suro month” in which they will do bathing in Javanese New Year’s Eve called “1st night of Suro”. Muslims are also suggested to do cleansing ritual (normal bathing with strong intension) before Ramadhan.
While in Bali why not I committed myself to self-purify? My best friend did it for Seclusion Day. I did for Ramadhan. Both of us did it for health, happiness and joy. 💝
Salaam.
I found love
In your eyes
Only to find it none of yours.
It was mine
Reflected by mirror
Standing facing me.
This love is light
Shining incandescently
Within a glass,
It does stay
Yet radiates
To all directions.
Never so much
Simply bright—
—
Bed of tulips bloom
Under April’s sun. They smile
Through linen canvas.
—
rike jokanan 
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