How Do You Pray?

Many of us think that happiness lies on things we wish them to be, and when the wishes are granted, we can be finally happy. We thus pray day and night to whatever entity it is to give what we ask, or maybe some of us would rather wish upon a star believing in the miracle of fairy tales. People believe by having things they want and ask, their lives would be harbored in happy state.

The truth is, they fail to see that even after they are given the things they ask in prayer, and even after so many bestowed upon without even them asking for, by them cannot happiness be found there. You ask for one thing and then it's given to you, and then you'll keep asking for more things that you think would complete you or things you already have, but in the end the only is going to happen is you just crave for other things, and this is cyclic endlessly.

So tell me, how do you pray?

Remnants of Sin from One-Two Options

In 1Q84, one of Haruki Murakami's artwork of writing, there was this character namely Aomame who believed that our body was sacred and thus she revered hers very carefully; she said that human's body was a temple.

By the same logic, I suppose the behaviour performed by these bodies of people's is to be taken not lightly either, especially when the required action is not at all around physical rumble. One or Two, all needed to do was to pick one of either, silently and solemnly.

However, it turns out that hatred has become our pop-culture since the beginning. Believing firmly to be standing on the right side, the other side is judged to be wrong. Believing that One represents unity, Two is blamed on for the disassembly. Our view of world has been so much narrowed and blocked, despite knowing our sight-cells not only rod-cells but also cone-cells.

"What is not white is not always black."

The phenomenon of presidential election 2014 of Indonesia, the way how I see it, is already out of democratic propriety; it is badmouthing and humiliation. It doesn't respect the candidates' dignity as human being. The medias throw irresponsible news, and the people throw flaming statements, both have provoked the state of mind from tranquility to anger.

Ramadhan, a Month of Hedonism?

As one living in a country populated by Muslim majority, which also means surrounded by them in daily life, I experience the influence of Islamic teaching in society. In addition, I've been raised as Muslim by my parents (put aside my personal choice of religious view) and also once went to Islamic Primary School. That makes it not by surprise to find out I am familiar with regular Islamic values in society.

One of most important moments for Muslims around the world, without doubt, is Ramadhan Month. It is time when Muslim people must be fasting since from sun starts to rise until sun has set for the entire month in accordance with the Islamic Lunar Calendar. The dawn is the sign for people to stop their consumption of, at the simplest rule, food & drink, and they are not allowed to engage in any sexual intercourse including masturbation. As the dusk comes, people can break their fast.

Let us not go to the extent on how Muslims are supposed to read Al-Qur'an and perform complete and additional prayers in Ramadhan Month because Ramadhan is said to be the month when all good doings and form of worshiping will be rewarded in a very bigger number than other month outside Ramadhan, but let's just take a look at simple things as the fasting itself is, the food and drink.

When Even Birthday is Complicated

I think we have heard enough how people uphold the spirit of birthday celebration. We have heard enough how they throw many kinds of reasons as to why birthday is supposed to be celebrated, and some of them make it as annual demand. However, I don't think something generic and populist will always be the case for everybody.

To me, I fear it when my birthday should come. It feels somewhat complicated for me to face my own birthday due to some complicated background of mine. I wish I could just fall into amnesia about my own birthday and nobody would ever remind it to me.

I am not talking about how I hate the fact I will be getting older every year the month of June arrives, let alone about how life gets more complicated as years go by, but I just don't get why on earth should we feel special about birthday, and indeed we wish it could be special. We hope birthday is a day of escapism. We hope our significant others would remember and cherish us the way we expect it to be. We hope, after tons of struggle we've been through in regular life, there would be a day special just for us to deny our rough reality and to excuse ourselves from being selfish & full of egoism. It's just, why does it have to be birthday out of 365 days a year? And worst of all, those hopes of birthday happen to be the opposite.