graphs of my Universe
Who doesn't love it?
Sun that quickly sets with joy
To rise tomorrow.
sunset in the West Lake
sunset in the West Lake
sunset in the West Lake
sunset in the West Lake
after a long week, with the team enjoying sunset, the ladies always like to take photo ☺️ (near the West Lake)
closing the day around Hoan Kiem Lake
the music that sweetly hurt the heart
How clear, Beloved
Do messages show to you?
As clear as clear glass--
About language that is claimed to make things clarified. My ranting just now…..
Language is a tool in the form of spoken, signed/gestured or written symbols structured and agreed by a group of human beings and used by them to communicate and express opinions, emotions, experiences. In the growth language is also to reflect cultural and social identity.
Once I wrote that language is logic of a nation. The way a nation structures the language proves the way one positions itself before nature or other human beings. That’s why the first person is using a capital letter (I) in English in which individuality is prioritised, while formal form of second person is Anda (with a capital letter A) in Bahasa Indonesia in which individuality is second prioritised in a group. It also explains why some language categorise their nouns into genders (male, female), while other language don’t. Do you know why Subject is less important than Predicate that the doer won’t be mentioned in a sentence? Why do some languages have level of honorific (Javanese has 3 levels), while others don’t? Logic of a nation is introduced as early as how the nationals speak the idea: through language. How interestingly do Eskimo have many words for “snow” of different form, time, size; as the Arab have many words for “horse” of different type, movement, emotion, sound of gallops, etc?
The logic of a nation aka language is indeed born through the interaction of nature, culture, nurture!
I wonder though how well a language can convey a message. Which language can convey the message the most clearly? Is it the one with the best grammar? Is it the one with the most vocabulary? Is it the one with the most beautiful intonation? Is it the oldest one? Is it the simplest one like binary code? Which one?
Maybe each language excel in one subject. English and German excel for science. Arabic and Javanese excel for literature. Language with script like Sanskrit, Japanese and Chinese excel in developing strong cognitive with their intricate writing. And so on. Please don’t quote my limited knowledge and analysis that is based on my limited education.
As much as I admire those who master many languages, I still doubt if they can convey their emotion clearly and honestly through the logic of their nations. Maybe scientifically and logically they can speak or write about something. Yet there is one deep emotion that will fail all languages in many occasions.
What can fail any language? LOVE.
Look at Rumi. Do you think Rumi talks about his wife? No. He talks about divine love. But can Rumi stop others to use his poems and quotes to admire other human beings. No. Freedom of expression. Unclear boundary, failure of accuracy. Dishonesty. Honesty.
How would you trust the sentence “I love you” even if someone truly loves you with no reason? How would love be conveyed with language if “I admire you” can’t even convince the other?
Yes. In general language is a tool to convey messages; but in some cases language is a blocker of a true message.
Some message won’t be strong enough articulated in any language but silence.
Silence is truly the highest level of communication.
Again please don’t quote me because I didn’t review my writing before uploading: typo and immature thought is everywhere.
❣️
A knot is a safe
For love to bind a promise
Until time is up.
I bought the gold knot stud earrings in Madrid, a place making me realise that a most stunning place can be the least safe one
when buying it, I didn’t know the meaning of knot: they just looked stunning
only when ending the 20-day solo travel in some EU countries, I know the knot stud earring means love and unity
beautiful!
Following the sun
Travelled by the earth no end
Just slowly or fast--
sun flower facing the sun until the sun is no more shining
Ripples on the heart
Is smiles decorating days,
Starts every morning.
your laughter is my morning ripples
Weekend in Hanoi means walking around a lake, this time the West Lake. It was fun especially when closed with facial treatment in one local spa, May Spa.
Hanoi has a lot of spas named May but my friend said this is the “original” May Spa. Ok, I took the chance to relax there with facial treatment.
Hoa, the one doing the treatment was a polite woman who did her job very gently and thoroughly. Thank you, Hoa.
Let’s face the next week with the vibe!
with the daughter of the spa owner, cute!
The light, Beloved
Knocks on this heart with a song
That hums love and hope.
Nature, Beloved
Where I plant true self of mine
That springs up lushly.
I saw this scarf in LUSH and got charmed with its theme; it’s a natural resources map from where LUSH source the raw material of its products
Indonesia: coconut oil, patchouli oil (both my favourites)
it will be a gift to an old friend who’s been raised in agriculture family. I hope she likes it.
A home, Beloved
Is never far, it's now here
In this very heart.
I thought building a house was easier than building a relationship. In fact it was as challenging. Even with money I can’t make it happen as a home is built also with love & trust; both must be there, the absence of either will collapse the plan & block the execution.
Korine Jati, my home, was planned to be ready some time ago but with some reasons, she has to wait patiently for some time to host the housewarming with my family and friends. Reasoning was made there (and beyond my capability to handle) but the actual thing is Korine Jati’s timing was not yet coming & I have to accept it without blaming anyone in the process.
It caused me problems by then & affected some aspects of life but now I’m ok.
Bismillah.
Korine Jati is restarting & with God’s grace she shall be ready within 2025.
To all that have helped in the process, matur sembah nuwun (thank you in Javanese).
I’m not resentful; I was simply upset. It’s just the way it is.
Thank you.
All dreams should be sweet.
They should leave beautiful trails
To be well followed.
living with acceptance is a dream
and I’ve achieved it to some extent; I’ve learnt letting go each and every day
and now I want to enjoy my life with someone who has the same project with mine: to live loving & forgiving, to die loved & forgiven
because to me that’s the only way to live happily
When dreams are calling,
Get up! The sky's the limit,
Be the wind that blows.
my dreams call the wind so they can meet you soon
❣️
I still keep the dreams:
You're the only one to meet
When sky's clear one day.
I hug my dreams in the dark day; they will again fly to find home when the wind sweeps clouds away
💙
🥰
Title: The Book of Gifts
Writer: Lucy Claire Dunbar
Book can be a gift.
Word can be a gift.
This book containing kind words can be a gift.
As I can’t give each of you one, I read some of the kind words in it for you.
My hazy voice today be your comfort. Amen….
Not a native speaker though….
Ibu,
Selalu kurindu
Jemarimu
Di rambutku,
Senandungmu
Di tidurku,
Doamu
Di langkahku.
I miss you, Ibu 💕
My Math is full of
You.
I will always listen to
You.
as long as you have your voice, I’ll always listen
no change to my ears, just my perspectives that are now in the dark
💙
Yura has been a star singing for me. I downloaded almost all of her songs in Apple Music.
She’s released a new song “Tanda” recently and it is another praying song that is so much enjoyable and uplifting.
Never bored of listening to the voice of this singer with a beautiful heart —
God bless you, Yura.
Thanks for singing from the heart. When you sing, I feel like praying with you.
💕
When many think you're more,
You shine too bright,
Exceeding a real star,
That I've admired,
Your true colors.
This heart can only bear
Natural brightness,
That will shine no matter how dark the life is,
Not the artificial brightness that will collapse when the dark goes dark.
So let you stay
Where admiration is loud.
Let this heart stay
Where love truly vibes.
love is never wrong, only the object is sometimes not rightly chosen
some love feels demanding even when it only requires simplicity and peace
it’s good to learn to love unconditionally including accepting the excessiveness of how human being perceives love itself
it’s ok to fail to love unconditionally this time — sometimes the best love is stopping admiration where admiring is making things less genuine and more misleading
💙
❣️
What's love, Beloved?
It's what she does and becomes.
As red as ruby--
I love jewelry; these are a set of ruby I bought in Scott Market in Yangon, Myanmar in 2018
so many gemstones made my eyes wildly browsed all possibly affordable ones
i bought sapphire, ruby, jade and amber that have become my precious entertainer cum advisor when I’m lost.
gemstone is not only beautiful but also symbols of wisdom and beauty
Thank you❣️
What's blue, Beloved?
Tranquility. Sky and sea
As calm as can be--
painted my nails blue to keep my spirit on and on and on
it doesn’t matter if people say I just look wise but actually unwise — I’m not wise indeed ☺️
I only say what’s aligned between my head and heart and even my belly
☺️
They ask, Beloved
Why repeated the same thing?
Based on what you do--
why I say the same ideas repeatedly, only moving the point of view?
because those are the things I not only know but also embrace, internalise and experience in life
saying something I don’t truly know and feel and walk feels like not stepping on the ground
❣️
Clear glasses, my love
With which colours and shapes seen
Are cleaned everyday.
it’s both the glass container and the glass spectacles should be clean to see clearly
exactly like one person’s action and the other’s perspective
❣️
Kitchen calls, my love
Those in love with life and taste
And the folks in heart.
today’s ifthar with so much love
we call it bothok not the Botox injection — it’s tempeh, anchovy in grated coconut + santan wrapped by my hands in banana leaves 😍
sayur asem (sour soup) normally the sourness is from tamarind but today I used buah kedondong peel
Japanese cracker that I love always
still the Bac Ninh oranges
kedondong
What's for today's joy?
Colourful and full of taste
On a wooden tray
today’s ifthar
salad for fresh evening from my fridge
kolak (stew of sweet yam, aloe vera and sago pearl) from my kitchen
orange from Bac Ninh, Hanoi
steamed rice cake from Bengawan Solo
Dear
Heart
That
Softens,
Love me
Also
Let me go.
loving others is easier than loving one’s self; after that letting go others is easier than letting go one’s self
I’m letting go all.
💗
Stacking oranges
Shine on a fruit container.
Loved fruits to fulfill
Love has many languages: more than 5 to express it. Fulfilment has only 1: getting/giving what’s wanted.
Fulfilment can be the feeling of getting attention, receiving compliment, passing a test, making a relationship, owning a dream house, invited to important events, getting this or having that.
But love…. I still feel my father’s love although he passed away > 20 years ago. I feel my mother’s love although she lives far away. I still feel my siblings’ love although we don’t talk with each other everyday. It’s the time & moments we’ve cherished . It’s smiles & jokes when gathering in our small dining room. It’s their hi through WhatsApp asking where I am & telling me to be well. It’s the reconciliation after small fights. It’s the blood that I can’t unflow from this body. It’s the karma to serve in the same family. The prayers that I know sent through whisper & breath every time we remember each other. My best friends are included, too.
I constantly need love; without love I will lose hope & die in despair. It stays in the heart & soul, fueling the journey of human being in the making. No expiry date for love: beyond time & space.
I need fulfilment in certain timelines. No big house forever. Not much money forever. No jewelry forever. I won’t need this body forever. The best limit for fulfilment is “in moderation”, “enough” & yes it’s based on my own evaluation.
I claim this shallow mind about love & fulfilment. I’m learning.
Thank you.
Note: This might not work for you. Find your own life treasure within.
💗
I chat with you
With no language.
When with you,
I know no time.
Yet we separate
To miss each other,
To love
With condition
Then without.
in love everyday
I buy your voice with hearing.
I buy your look with sight.
I buy your scent with smelling.
Some I buy with touch and taste.
I buy, never take anything from you for free.
Now you agree senses are currency, no?
A voice screams in whisper:
From whom do you get the senses?
She's in a daze
Again and again,
Failed in transaction
Against
You.
I speak with you
With no language.
When with you,
I know no time.
In you I find me.
In me I find you.
Then we separate
To miss each other,
To love
With no limit.
My perspective about you might change all the time.
It might be about in which angle I stand when looking at you, or
How far I distance my sight when observing you, or
How full circle I go around you to see all sides, or
How long I stay in one corner speechless enjoying the daisy, or
How critical I pull all the dots of you looking imperfect in these eyes until I find it's the lenses impaired that I can't see your beaut so see-through, or
Simply how I accept how you describe you....
I always want the last as I want you to tell me about you.
But you know, sometimes I don't trust you....
Let me trust you.
all is true in its own position – layers of truth apply to human beings’ journey; clarity is truly important to make the right decision, belief is important to stay in the chosen lane
I'm loaded
With burdens
That are not on my body.
The suffering borne
By others
Has leak in
To this porous heart.
Let me be
In rest, Beloved
In the flow of
My slow life
That doesn't chase what I used to chase,
That doesn't crave what I used to crave,
That embraces the acceptance of what is,
That sits alone in room with
You.
how can I not care to those sick, hungry and sad around me who seek help from me? I’ve cried and maybe it is time to stop for a while
just for a while, Beloved
just for a while
before I walk again in this narrow path with grass and daisies around
to where my love suits her scent
let me rest for a while
before it’s time to be your loving hands again for a longer while
thank you….
❣️
rike jokanan 
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