Tag: thankful

Picked

Learning, life, Poetic
Pick ones, Beloved
That this heart has been singing,
Soul is caressing.
Give gifts to those genuine:
Not those clean— those to self true.

——

i won’t make others pick for me even my fave bookstore 🙂

card decks for my friend in Ubud

some friends are religious and reading, so books are gift for them

got one for my birthday 👀🥹

Hidden Gems

Learning, Poetic
Hidden gems
Shan’t be found
By those admiring surface.
Let it be kept undercover,
Shining within
The hearts of
The true lovers.

——

Dewi Larasati (named Rarasati in her childhood) is one of female characters in Javanese wayang whose personality is described as pleasant, patient, understanding and of good self control. She is unpopularly one of female wayang characters with military skill. She is good at handling keris and archery. She is allegedly as skillful as her husband, Arjuna.

Note: Dewi can mean goddess in Javanese. It can also simply mean or indicate that the person given that Javanese name is a female. Dewa is for male.

Dewi Larasati in black and white

Dewi Larasati is a humble woman and is so humble that she doesn’t want to announce her military skill until one day she is called by his husband to show her archery skill in from of Srikandi (his other wife). On that day everyone starts to know that Dewi Larasati’s archery expertise is outstanding, much better than Srikandi who is allegedly the best female archer in Javanese wayang and the bravest female heroine of all.

Dewi Larasati is then declared the one having as good skill as Arjuna’s, the best archer in Javanese wayang. Yet she never boasts of being as good as her husband in archery. She chooses to be the queen of the knight of war and mindfulness Arjuna, the beloved mother of her two sons, Bambang Sumitra and Branatalaras, the aunt of Pandawa’s offsprings.

Dewi Larasati facing left direction

While people like to talk about Dewi Larasati from that angle, I like talking about her from different one. To me I prefer to play dictions so disecting the word “Rarasati” and “Larasati” is another option.

Rarasati is a combination of 2 Javanese words: raras and ati.
Raras means feel, feeling, thought, thinking
Ati means heart
So rarasati can mean the feel of a heart or the thought of a heart or a feeling heart or a thinking heart

Larasati is a combination of 2 Javanese words: laras and ati.
Laras means song, singing, chat, chanting, reciting, recitation,
Ati means heart
So larasati can mean the song of a heart or a singing heart.

Dewi Larasati facing right direction

I always think Dewi Larasati’s parents’s naming her “larasati” because of their dream to have children who are willing to use the heart to feel and think the reality and to listen to their own self to balance the power of the loudness of material world.

With my simple utterance about the word “rarasati” and “larasati” I can imagine Dewi Larasati is a hidden gem that needs no disclosure as undercover she is already glowing. With her excellence she accepts to be less well-known than Srikandi, the archery heroine. With humbleness she accepts to be less popular than Sembadra, Arjuna’s second wife, while Dewi Larasati is the first wife of that bloody handsome knight Arjuna. Please note although I admire Arjuna’s high quality of meditation and nationalism, I curse his being a womaniser.

Anyway this is not about Arjuna, it is about Dewi Larasati, a humble intelligent woman whose identity is underrated because of her unpopularity like a hidden gem that is kept low key by those loving and protecting her.

Ahh! Is the above discussion culturally relevant? Or is it just this person who idolises those unpopular gems in life?

It doesn’t matter. This is just a different point of view about an old fact.

💕

Salaam.

Dewi Larasati on a batik scarft designed by Dudung Aliesyahbana, batik maestro from Pekalongan, Central Java

Luxury

Learning
Luxury, my love
Makes your stars blink but not glow.
Show your true colours.

——

“The Devil Wears Prada” is one of 97 purchased movie in my cloud because I would watch those movies again and again and again either because of loving them or not quite understanding them with one play. This movie was based on a novel with the same title.

Watching “The Devil Wears Prada” for more than 4 times doesn’t bore me, not because I like fashion (I like clothes but not that fashion fashion) but because I like the story — Andrea ‘Andy’ Sachs (main character, protagonist) the humble smart who was derailed from her nature as shaped through her work performance demanded by her boss Miranda Priestly finally found her “way home”.

This movie was released in 2006. I watched it in the same year for the first time then bought it from Apple Store in 2017 the until now rewatch it when I want.

This is a movie that has made me stopped buying bags and watches that were not really needed. Pile of bags didn’t make me happier; luckily I don’t have to look fashionable at work so leaving the impressive bags at home never makes me and my work go less. Queue of watches are not necessary anymore with my beloved Apple Watch.

Another thing that this movie has taught me is to be true to myself even if others are not. It is not easy as there are human beings living around me who have been nurtured in environments where competition is sharp or where winning is the only choice to live or where listening is not to understand but to answer, where genuineness is not paramount — yet it is not that challenging to be true for me as most of those around me also try their best to behave ethically.

In the movie Andy was at the brink of identity crisis when she realised than being successful is not only about sitting on a pedestal that is looked up by many or about ruling a territory; being successful can be sitting among the tribe and working hand in hand on the ground to achieve team’s goal or getting recognition as ethical although not popular or learning to be honest to self everyday with failure and achievements. In other words it is not only a gain outside like promotion, bonus, recognition and the like; but it is also an internal cultivation of getting more mature, clarified, self acceptance, relationship and the like.

Thank you, “The Devil Wears Prada”. Because of you I dug further what brands are truly sustainable based on environment and labor protection and what are putting sustainability as mannequin in display.

A lot more in this movie tells me to realise that “brands and luxurious life don’t define who I truly am”.

So am I still buying those with (prominent) brands (that I can conveniently afford to but)? Yes, but only those truly walking what they are talking and they are mostly not the highest end. Very very few and very very occasional. Unfortunate for them yet fortunate for me—

Some other time I probably want to write about a few.

Salaam.

💕

watched it again just now

Carang Gesing (Javanese Food)

Learning

Cooking is a sweet distraction from a busy mind. To me

💕

About CARANG GESING

cooking is a sweet distraction; and this is sweeeeeet!!!

done!

steam for 30’

5

4

3

2

1

my tweak for carang gesing — sago pearl

i didn’t use egg

Half and Half

Learning, Poetic

Do you know,
Beloved…?
In the middle of a water
Tossing wildly a Land
Stretching like a tail,
Tinted with merry tiny blossoms
Willing to smile
In May summed up are they.
Bearing light fragrance
Infusing air elegantly
For you, only for you—


Do you also know,
Beloved…?
I lullaby some seeds
That wake up lazily,
Stretch to the sky
Then sprinkle perfumes
With thousands of flowers
In the 9th month
Being warm and fuzzy
In the other half
For you, only for you—

For you
Whether to take
Or to give up.
There is no heaviness in a no.
There is no lightness in a yes.
There is pain in silence.
Yet life is so rich,
There is always cure
For any wound.
Let poems sing heart songs
For you, only for you.

——

Angel without Wings

Learning
How do you call you
Loving expecting no pay?
Only the mother—

——

today i called her after she said that she could not sleep remembering Vito, the grandson who just passed away

this lady is impressively patient and loving her grandchildren; losing him has never been easy

she tried to hide her cry from me but her voice could not lie

if i can tell anyone about someone to never forget, it must be about mother

love her, don’t disappoint her ever again as there might have been a lot of troubles from us when we were younger

i love you, Ibu

Shape of Heart

Learning, Poetic
Sprinkles of petalS
Sway from the sky gracefully
Calling name of yours.

——

genji pie that shapes like heart or rose petal or whatever beautifully seen by eyes

genji pie, aside from the shape the taste is also good to me

genji pie has inspired me to love

About genji pie

Multiply

Learning, Poetic
Multiplied and blessed
Is numbers nature has sent
To a heart that smiles.

——

flying back from Narita

flying out from Changi

i believe that whatever shared is multiplied — at least those who enjoy it are multiplied

keep multiplying and blessing!

♥️

Pilgrimage

Learning, life, love, Map It!, Poetic, This Person
This life’s pilgrimage
Spiralling in to the core
Of old house within.

——

a mosque in Tokyo — Tokyo Jamii (Camii)

entrance — assalamualaikum, Tokyo Camii

mosque area – 2nd floor

i still know how to do sholat tahiyatul masjid (praying to respect mosque), recite QS Arrahman that is full of gratitudes and praises so i did it

the feel was exactly like when i pray in the temples and shrines

a feeling of home 💕

then a beautiful sister helped me with photo taking — she made me much taller, slimmer yet less me 😁 thank you 💕

time to fly home — thank you, Tokyo 💕

you make me love myself more and more, with all the wounds and scars

My Heart Is

Learning, life, love, Poetic, This Person
They have said 
I am lost.

What I see…
I am in a forest away
From comfort of thought.
I am not in a castle
In which mind is blunted.
My heart finds home
In which 25 prophets 
And 1000 saints
Have found the paths.

It is a way
That all Prophets and Saints bless.

I am home
With the flow
That brings petals
To where fragrance blends
With clarity of fluids,
Various fluids
Gliding to a vast ocean
Of love.

——

i don’t care anymore what i am called by them — Muslim? Alhamdulillah, Sufi? Subhanallah, Buddhist? Masya Allah

what i am sure of is that my sutra is sutra of love with which all prophets and saints have travelled, whatever religions they have been associated with

thank you

💕

No Regret

Learning, Poetic
Rain has no regret.
It’s sharp needles jabbed to earth—
Wildly seeped for life.

——

even wrong decision tasted nice! trust me the chili didn’t even have heat in it 😊 no regret at all

Waves of Clouds

Learning, Poetic
Waves of clouds, my love
Swim from morning to night shore
Telling me to dance
Sprinkling bright petals of life
To hearts who lost hope to move.

——

some food help wipe clouds from the mind

Dirgahayu RI ke-78!

Learning

I normally participate flag raising ceremony on August 17 to celebrate Indonesia’s Independence Day in Indonesia Embassy in Singapore yet this year I don’t as I am in Japan for work.

Not losing hope to express my vibe of nationalism, I decided to celebrate it by eating cold soba standing and slurping (not so successful sound according to my friend though) then watching one-act Kabuki in Kabukiza Theater — all after work.

It is absolutely different way of celebration! So much liking it!

Thank you, Tokyo! I will be back.

Dirgahayu Republik Indonesia ke-78!

Merdeka!

i love you, Indonesia

sluurp!

Kabukiza Theater

8888 — hope to see full performance someday!

wishing to be back 💕

Rin-Chu, the main character in the Shin Suikoden

Two

Learning, life, love, Poetic, This Person
There are two gateways
To enter one gallery
Full of works of art.

——

my left side of face is sadder, bitter and negative with which i’ve been made more and more accepting to unwelcoming sides of life 💕

my right is happier, sweeter and optimistic that has persuaded me to be more and more letting go of what is not working after some good deed 💕

whatever unpleasant and pleasant things others say about me, i feel complete with some gap that might not need to be bridged simply to show that imperfection is a perfect gift in life 💕

Note: the picture at the bottom is batik scarf designed by Dudung Aliesyahbana, a batik maestro from Pekalongan, Central Java

To Those I Love

Learning

When somebody loved me
Everything was beautiful
Every hour spent together
Lives within my heart

And when she was sad
I was there to dry her tears
And when was happy so was I
When she loved me

Through the summer and the fall
We had each other that was all
Just she and I together
Like it was meant to be

And when she was lonely
I was there to comfort her
And I knew that she loved me

So the years went by
I stayed the same
But she began to drift away
I was left alone
Still I waited for the day
When she'd say I will always love you

Lonely and forgotten
Never thought she'd look my way
And she smiled at me and held me
Just like she use to do
Like she loved me
When she loved me

When somebody loved me
Everything was beautiful
Every hour spent together
Lives within my heart
When she loved me

I thank you, God for giving me courage to express my love and affection to those I love. I will not regret.

💕

Fragrant Respect and Sweet Love for You

Learning
I love you
And I respect you
Fragrantly.

I’ve missed you
More and more
Since I didn’t open windows
Anymore.

This heart though is open
Like pores of petals
Evaporating fragrance
In a warm September.

Be happy, Beloved
As you deserve to.
Whereas this scent
Will keep leaping stone to stone.

Your face pops out
In this head every second
Like brilliant dew drops
In a shy May.

I respect you
And I love you
Sweetly.

——

enough sweet and fragrant for snacking for 5 days in Tokyo

Good Morning, Edo

Learning

I am not a breakfast person yet I arrived in this city very early and needed a big start for my eyes and head. There is no bread with kaya or nasi lemak or fish soup or kwetiau here so….

Coffee, quite acidic to my spoiled stomach

Salad, much cabbage to contribute enough gas for the whole day

Potato wedge, much to keep me full until very late lunch later today

Tokyo, thanks for being kind to me although your railway system is never friendly to me. Taxi! 😊

Salaam.

——

kopinya juara, so acidic that my stomach sang loudly 💕

milk with red bean and water — rubber stomach 😞

Music Is Curing

Learning, Those People
Regulated noise
Tidies up moods and work pace.
Music is curing.

——

no worry, beloved — what’s messy can be tidied up with the right tempo and pitch in music 💕

loving this sweetheart! 💕

Hatred Was Love

Learning, Poetic
Hatred, Beloved
Never a choice; it is love—
Once got hurt then lost.

(haiku at lunch break)

——

osho, the king in shogi (Japanese chess)

About shogi the Japanese chess

Dark Sky

Learning, Poetic
Dark sky reveals stars
That gleam sending signs of life
That glows silently.

——

rawon aka dark soup that has become the most delivious soup on earth

i left it in the fridge to fly back to Indonesia on Jul 30 and today arriving home my first after unpacking was heating it up for my lunch and dinner 💕

amazingly yummy!

Rawon, the most delicious soup on earth

Land

Learning, Map It!, Poetic
A pair of strong wings
Bring me to a land of thoughts
Where hope shines the light.

——

landed home after burying hope to grow with flowers and spreading love with billowing incense smoke

Lovely

Learning
You’re lovely
Like the songs in my heart.
Unluckily
You belong to another heart.
Verily
You’d thrown me to a new start.
Luckily
You didn’t break my hope apart.
Hopefully
My life again to bloom.
Undoubtedly
You feel ease in the room.

Life is rich and enriches,
Full of sad and happy surprises.

——

one of my good friends is a handicrafter; this bag was just completed 2 days ago and delivered yesterday

my mother said “lovely”

“do you want it?”, said i

“is that ok if i take it?” she said

“why not, Ina can make a new one for me” said i.

i am happy to make my mother happy with a happy (unintentional) surprise 💕