Healing, Hoping

A friend came from Jakarta. His name is Agung. We were finalists of SCTV's competition in 2003 and 2004. In his SMS he said that he wanted to talk a lot, and he asked me to came to his uncle's house in Police Academy residential area at 7 p.m.I admit that during the competition we never always mocked at each other. He always called me "miss shading", because I need many shading to hide my chubby cheeks and little nose. At the other side, I always call him "mr. beauty salon", because he brought complete make up like lipstick, face powder, eyeshadow and eyebrow pencil! :)) I won the 1st place in Semarang in 2004, and he was the 2nd. Later he worked for Trijaya FM Jakarta, my old radio network before Female....

So, that nite I went to the police academy. It was the 1st time for me to see the academy from inside, and it was...very impressive. I've never thought that inside that large complex is a beautidul place with big houses for generals inside.

I was more surprised when I arrived at his uncle's home. So many people! Later Agung explained that his uncle is blessed with the ability to cure people... and he has that service for free, for any people from any cities and religions...even he has travelled around the world, giving that blessed service to people in all over Indonesia, Asia, America, also in Europe: Belgium, Italy and Netherland...

Harry is the name of the uncle.
A very dedicated Catholic, and I could see how friendly he was to everybody, even he has just came back from Jakarta 30 minutes before.

Then, I started to feel emotional. There was a 1,5 year-old baby who suffered from a cancer at his arm. He was very small, only 1,4 kg, his face was very innocent but he and cried cried... as his arm is swelling so big. There were also some people suffer from heart disease, uterus and breast cancer, a little girl with hypothallamus (extra-big head), a little boy who almost blind... couples who get married for more than 5 years who expect to get pregnant, also, a Chinese doctor who was paralyzed, but now can walk... all of them were suffering, but from their eyes I could see that they had big hope to feel better...They came not only from Semarang, but there were 5 couples from Jakarta, alsi some people from east and west Java, Borneo, Bali...
I've never seen anything like that place before, and I've never thought that my friend, Agung, involved in that holy service... he was 1 of 4 singers who sang many praise songs during the service.

The uncle welcomed me warmly, and he let me sit next to the altar. It was the first time for me joining a Catholic service, including the bible reading, prayers and songs... I felt weird for the first minutes, but then, I felt so touched to see how faithful were the people there when they prayed...

Many of us cried, maybe they cried to realize how sad it is to suffer that way.... but I cried to realize that the people around me suffered more than me, but they tried all efforts to continue their life. I'm ashamed. My suffers is nothing compared to the suffer of a father who came with a 5 year-old autis boy... he kept on saying, "I would be very happy if my son could say 'Papa'..." :(( oh...

After the prayers, one by one were asked to lay on the carpet. Then Mr. Harry came to them, praying, and touching them, saying "Oh, Holy spirit, touch us...."I cried too many times to see the whole process...

The couples who expected the babies were asked to lay down side by side, holding hands to his wife/husbands. You know, I saw so much love between them. They were holding hands with LOVE and fait. They believed that what God has brought together couldn't be broken by anything... in that way, I do love Catholic marriage principal. Learning to love and having real commitment... not leaving even we're in difficult times, for any reason, even if they don't have babies...

The boy with cancer cried aloud, but after Mr. harry touched him, he calmed down, his face was peaceful.Then a woman with uterus cancer...

I didn't believe that kind of spiritual treatment before, but with my eyes I could see that magic happened. The swell got smaller, the pain gone only after some touch and prayers...
Agung said that Mr. Harry is blessed with an ability to see holy lights, catch it and deliver it to the suffering people's body...After that, an assistant splashed holy water that has been blessed by the Pope, and they were asked to pray.

Again I saw many love, hopes and faith around. Love of parents... I saw the mother of almost blind boy cried when she prayed after the holy touch procession... I saw husbands embracing their wives when they prayed to get babies soon...and they cried together in front of the altar... oh....

The most amazing was the autistic boy. He was very ignorant of everything around, but after the healing procession, he smiled, he hugged mr. Harry, and said, "Maria...Maria..."everybody was amazed. He couldn't say 'Papa', but he called Maria? (in Indonesia we call mother Mary as Maria...)

Mr. Hary finished with all patients at midnight. At that time, all his assistants already knowing me... there was no religion border... the Catholic singers sang songs to praise Jesus, and the Muslim musicians played the piano and guitar with all their heart.The suffered people ranged from babies to grannies...and they prayed in their own faith....It was beautiful and touching to see that kind of miracle.

I wish that they will live better life later, and I'm very grateful that Agung showed me a beautiful part of life: GIVING-LOVING-CARING, and, HOPING, with a sincere faith to the power of God...

Many people suffer more than us, but they stand stronger... Why can't we?

Tie The Red Ribbon

It's the story from AIDS Day 2005....


I went to join AIDS Day campaign with a group of Semarang Community that concerns on HIV/AIDS Prevention at 1 to 6 p.m. This afternoon was very hot and humid, however, there were some volunteers from USA, Belgium and Netherland who joined that activity with their big enthusiasm. They join a work camp held by my work camp organization, IIWC, and since November 27 they have been having some activities dealing with HIV/AIDS prevention campaigns in my hometwon.

Yesterday we had a seminar with university students, and today we broke the national record. We made the biggest HIV/AIDS awareness red-ribbon formation, with a total of 2.664 volunteers, all wearing red on the city square. Feel good to be involved! I have been joining AIDS prevention campaign since I was teenager, and it's always amazing to see the number of people who get infected year by year...

In Indonesia, there are already around 3800 HIV+ cases and 3600 AIDS... When I joined the campaign in 1998, it was only around 1500 HIV+ and less than 1000 AIDS... it's really growing, but thank God, there are also more people aware and do some efforts to fight it.
Another interesting thing that I find from today's activity is the fact that there are more people become more open about their life. There was a group of gay community, also some prostitutes joined the campaign. I also met a nice prostitute, who was very open... and I was amazed by her story...
She's only 22 year old. She was studying theology, almost became a Christian priest, but she needed money to fund her foster children! She was from Palembang (a little town in Sumatra), but 1 year ago decided to come to Semarang, becoming prostitute in SK, a prostitution area in Semarang. She said that she does this job to get big money in a short time, saving it, then leave prostitution to start a business and get the money in the right way for her children....oh, life is so ironic...
But it's amazed me to hear how much she can earn: as a call girl, she gets Rp. 1.500.000 for 4 hours dating with a customer! But as a prostitute in SK, she earn Rp. 100.000 for 1 hour... really easy money... no wonder that it's like a perfect shortcut for someone in need, as in Semarang, the average monthly income is Rp. 500.000. (please don't get surprised : it's only around 45 euros!)
As a call girl, she specializes in serving foreigners, mostly Europeans and Chinese, ... I really wonder how she does it, as her English is terrible...
Another shocking confession was, she still want to be back as a Chistian Priest after she's been economically settled! Ah... really, we never be able to guess, how life is.... and what are people dreams. Thoughts of religions, sins... I'm thinking, which one God will prefer? a prostitute who works for orphans, or somenone rich but never cares for others?
Sometimes I think that it's my destiny to meet amazing people, to have unusual experiences, to have not so ordinary life... I am lucky, blessed, or I don't know, but I think God gave me opportunity to always learn other sides of life. I always wonder how people can talk to me so honestly, like explaining the whole of their life, only in the first 1 hour after I started the conversation...
And as for that girl, she invited me to her home in SK, she said that she likes me, and would like to give me a pearl necklace that she made.I can feel that she needs a friend, and I can feel that she's a sincere and lovingful person...

Hum... again, I'm amazed to find my very colorful life. I meet colorful people, so much. I think that's a way I can learn more about a life.

oh la la...

BBM...
Hai, pernah ngerasain antre BBM sampai satu jam lebih?
Itulah yang terjadi padaku hari Senin kemarin.

Siang hari, nuansa krisis sudah betul-betul terasa. Ada press conference yang harus aku datangi, tapi mobil kantor lagi keluar. Hum..hum..hum.. akhirnya, aku ikut mobil Novie, AE yang juga kebetulan mau pergi hari itu. Ada kesan gelisah di matanya yang lucu.."hm, bensinku udah di bawah E". "Hah?" aku terkejut. "Kok ngga diisi?"
"bensin di pom deket kantor habis dari tadi pagi mbak.."

Waduh. Aku sudah mau naik taxi, tapi dia bilang, "it's ok, nanti sekalian nganter, kita mo ke pom bensin di Gajahmungkur". Dan, buat Anda yang tahu Semarang, pasti sadar sepenuhnya kalo dari area Simpanglima ke Gajahmungkur yang ada cuma rute tanjakan. AC dan radio mobil kami matikan, dan aduh, hari itu, panasnyaaaa..minta ampun!

Aku diantar sampai ke Vina House dengan selamat. Tapi di tengah conference, hpku berbunyi. Ada SMS dari para AE cantik itu "mbak, kita masih antre BBM..."
Walhasil, topik obrolan di sesi makan siang bersama adalah masalah bbm. Seorang teman berkomentar, "siapa suruh pilih presiden ganteng..."
Huh, jawabanku, siapa suruh bikin UU Propenas, tapi pelaksanaannya nggak sesuai jadwal?
Siapa suruh harga minyak dunia melambung?

Singkat cerita, aku pulang ke kantor dengan taxi, dan satu jam kemudian barulah mereka pulang. Oh la la... ternyata bbm di pom Gajahmungkur habis, sehingga mereka terpaksa ke Jl. Pandanaran. Belum sampai di antrean, ternyata mobil sudah mogok kehabisan tenaga! Mereka pun terpaksa dorong-dorong mobil itu di tengah panas terik matahari...

Pulang dari kantor, aku coba isi bensin. 3 Pom yang kulalui di perjalanan pulang seperti mati. Semua memasang tulisan "BENSIN HABIS" dan atau "SOLAR HABIS". Truk-truk besar terparkir berjajar di area pom, kehabisan bahan bakar. Aku jadi terbayang, apa jadinya kalau mereka harus segera kirim barang ke pelabuhan?

Malamnya aku berangkat ke TVB. Pom bensin di sepanjang arteri Sukarno-Hatta juga mati. Semua kehabisan BBM!
Indikator bensinku makin menempel di huruf "E"...
Jam 9 malam show-ku selesai. Aku bertekad, harus dapat bensin, dimanapun itu. Melewati Bubakan, antrean sudah mengular sampai hampir menutup bundaran. Ini pertanda ada bbm, tapi aku takut antre di situ. Banyak angkot dan gelap. Aku pun melaju.

Pom selanjutnya adalah pom Masjid Agung. Ada antrean, aku pun bergabung. "Ah, tak terlalu panjang" kupikir. Aku berhenti... kutengok jam tangan, tepat jam 21:15
tapi... 15 menit berlalu dan aku baru tersadar kalau antreanku nggak maju-maju! Di saat yang sama, di belakangku antrean makin panjang dan mulai menutup jalan.

Ternyata... pompa memang belum dibuka, karena sedang menunggu proses pengosongan tanki bensin Pertamina. Kami menunggu, dan lama-lama makin gelisah. Tengok kanan-kiri, dan kami mulai saling bercakap-cakap.

Ah, hari itu aku masih dalam full make-up. Kebayang nggak, ada perempuan dandan abis, pakai stiletto, malam-malam, ngantre di pom bensin? Sudah pasti, bapak-bapaklah yang ngajakin ngobrol! hehehe... Tapi mereka sopan dan menyenangkan kok... :) kami ngobrol banyak tentang kondisi Poleksosbud di bumi Indonesia yang tetap saja memprihatinkan sampai membandingkan pom bensin mana saja yang jujur dan mana yang nakal!

Hehehe... buat yang ada di Semarang, perhatikanlah bahwa ternyata di salah satu Pom ada kutipan ayat Al Quran yang ditulis di atas atap pompa, mengingatkan kita agar tidak berbuat curang...

Akhirnya, angin berhembus makin kencang... "Wah, seru nih kalau hujan!" seru seorang Bapak. Tidak lama kemudian obrolan kami pun jadi beralih ke topik pawang hujan yang hari genee makin nggak sakti aja, gara-gara suka minta amplopan...hehehe...

Dan ya, tepat jam 22:30, saat pompa mulai dibuka, hujan turun dengan butiran yang besuar-besoarrr...

Aduh, serunya antre BBM malam itu....
Aku isi full, dan ibu gelisah menunggu di rumah. Nggak nonton extravaganza. Huh.
kemarin dan hari ini, konsisi yang sama masih keliatan di semua sudut kota Semarang. BBM Langka. Hilang kemana ya?
dan.. sampai kapan?

Cute....

Seorang fans datang ke studio radioku kemarin sore.
Dia membawa sebuah CD, dan sebuah foto yang diambil saat aku bermain bersama anak-anak di event FeMale Family Fun Day hari Minggu lalu.

Sungguh, aku nggak pernah sadar, kapan dia menjepret gambar itu, tapi aku betul-betul suka melihat aku di gambar itu. Kelihatan begitu damai dan bahagia.

Ya, hari Minggu kemarin, selama 4 jam aku jadi MC di bawah panas matahari, di taman kota. Ada ratusan anak disitu, dan aku juga harus menghibur mereka. Aku tidak bisa berhenti tersenyum melihat wajah-wajah mereka, termasuk saat dengan super serius mereka menyimak cerita Pak Badut tentang kehidupan binatang di hutan rimba. Aku menyanyi bersama mereka, aku bermain bersama mereka, dan saat itu, aku betul-betul lupa blocking panggung. Aku duduk bersama mereka, dan memeluk mereka...

Entah kenapa, anak-anak juga bisa begitu dekat denganku. Mereka tertawa polos saat aku bilang Pak Badut bisa menyulap kita jadi kodok atau putri duyung. Imajinasi, begitu bebas dan indah saat kita masih belum terlalu banyak tahu...

Bersama mereka, aku terbebas dari hidup penuh prasangka. Bersama mereka, aku belajar bahwa sepotong kayu tak berarti bisa jadi mainan berharga. Bersama mereka, aku bisa membebaskan pikir untuk memikirkan kemungkinan terindah dari hidup, menjadi peri kecil bersayap, atau ratu yang baik hati....

Pikiran yang bersih membuat senyum mereka tampak begituuuu... cantik. Mereka lucu bukan karena harus memenangkan poling SMS di audisi pelawak, tapi karena memang demikianlah adanya kelapangan jiwa mereka yang menyejukkan.

Percayalah, bersama anak-anak, hidup terasa lebih indah dan bermakna. Sungguh aku ingin membuat mereka tumbuh dalam bahagia, melindungi tapi sekaligus membangunkan benteng di hati, agar dia tak mudah goyah... mencintai tanpa syarat, dan membiarkan mereka beterbangan di lembut rumput musim semi. Hangat dan indah...

Perempuan, sadarkah, bahwa anak-anak memancarkan kecantikan hati mereka kepadamu?
Dan seperti kata pria yang mencintaiku, aku terlihat sangat cantik saat bersama anak-anak yang kami peluk... Kebahagiaan terbesarku, hidup bersama anak-anakku...

My August Days

Once you move on too far, future days are no longer the same...
The previous August was a hard month for me. Many questions about future, and the worse was, I felt unhappy with my job now...

I often say that I'm an ordinary girl who's trapped in busy-lonely days. Hum, yes, still feel like that somehow.

I began August with a bored feeling. I am now a program director of a radio station, aimed for female. I do love the concept, and the idea of being in a female radio, creating the programs, and thinking of what is best for my audiences. I never mind to work overtime, to receive the media order after my working hours, taking place of my announcers when they couldn't come due to any possible reasons...

However, it was tough when I would like to run but none could run as fast as I can. I got some troubles empowering my co-workers... Mr. Kasali said that people's reaction is usually blaming on anybody else for a mistake, but I'd rather be frustrated to think of what have I done wrong when something is not in order.
But, with all problems around, the capabilities of my co-workers, very often I must do the creative concept alone... dur..dur... d'etre une directice...

Another difficult part is, I have other sides of life beside my career in radio. I have a single mother, I still work part time for a local TV station, I am an alumni of youth exchange sponsored by this country, I have a voluntary spirit (and it's my happiness). I must share my days with them too!

Some important moments happened in August.

On 7-12 I was in Jakarta for a national coordination meeting with all representatives from my radio network. We saw the result of on-field survey onducted by AC Nielsen Research Bureau. Very high target of listeners number to strive, and also income target...

However it was fun, for I could share with my friends from other stations on how to conduct better work in my job duty.

I met also some friends for SSEAYP (to know more about that program, just click on "my ship trip"), including an ex-boyfriend, who is now starting his busy days as one of Abang Jakarta... I'm happy for him.

The most fruitful moment of those days was the training from Mr. Andi Roestam, a very senior media marketer, and a motivation I got from a seminar with Mr. Rhenald Kasali.

I got back from Jakarta, and everything seemed normal until I got an accident on my way back from my TV station on August 16. Bloody motorbike rider, he drove crazily and hit me. I got bruising body and painful back and chest.. but at that moment my mom taught me more about forgiveness. The guy who crashed me runaway, but my mom told me to forgive him (hum, what a great mother!)

My Independence Day
17 of August was the anniversary of my country's independence. Ah, last year I was in a village near Switzerland, being the only Indonesian there...
I remembered how busy I was, preparing an Indonesian day, with Indonesian expo, selling bracelet made by the orphans to get donation, cooking Indonesian food for 18 person in the farm, also, a dancing, singing and having a theatrical performance...

BUT, this year, due to that accident, I left many important on-air program, yet I have prepared a SOP. But seemed like people in my office saw me as irresponsible person.. oh lala...I was sick, for God's sake! This negative reaction on my unfortunate moment got me negative sentiment towards my working place. Gotta get thr it tough...

On August 19 I went back to work.. but it was again too hard day for me. Many ads orders, preparation for a national motivation workshop, and I worked again til too late in the evening. The next day, I should be the MC for that seminar, but I couldn't even wake up from my bed. Oh, boy, I should have understood that my body really needed a rest.

12th ASEAN +3 Youth Day Meeting
The next week, on 22-25, there was 12th ASEAN +3 Youth Day Meeting in my town. Outstanding youth from ASEAN+3 (plus China, Korea and Japan) are awarded with ASEAN Youth Award. I decided to leave my job in my office for this event, considering that I owe much to my country that has given me a big opportunity by joining SSEAYP in 2003.

I joined this event as a Liaison Officer, but then turned into MC in many events and secretariat staff, with my BIG (in literal meaning..hahaha...)-best friends, Lutfi and Dimas... and my beloved mom during my journey aroud Asia, Ms. Baby Poernomo... it was good days, feeling like we were back into SSEAYP days, added with funny fact that we should work with photocopies til 3 a.m., hang out in Mc Donald's til 2 a.m., and slept in the penthouse of the hotel, but laid on the floor or chairs... it was my happiest days in August, and I did realize again that my happines laid in voluntary job...

BSC...
August was concluded with another training from my radio network. But it took place in my hometown. I learned new thing: the balanced score card to manage the programs and budget. Hum, what a smart month!
I found that one day when I have my own company, I'll use balanced score card...
;-)

busy month..but as always, I never had ordinary days...

SMILE

People who know me always say that I always smile. And this is, my happy smile, part of my absolute identity for you! ;-)

THE MICROPHONE

I started my acquitance with broadcasting world in 1997, in my campus' radio. I realized that microphone should be fit the context of "macro" when I started my first special feature report on colussion and nepotism in my academic world. I remember how upset the lecturers were, when they found that we were trying to dig deeply into the fact that the families of elite civitas academica got special access to the seats in our university... In 1998, I saw many microphones in my beloved country enhanced the voice of the demonstators, striving for reform. Later in early 2000's, I worked with microphones that entertained people, and in 2002, I learned more about entertaining and giving values thru my microphone. I entered radio journalism, and I swear that I finally found my way. With my microphone I talked with politicians, economy analysts, HIV bearers, and many others in talkshows and vox pops. With my microphone, I can spread good messages to the community, and hopefully, touch people's heart. Microphone, for me, has a 'macro' meaning now...

HAIR CUT!

Go short!
It took quite a long time for me to execute a decision to cut my long wavy hair. Ah, why?
First, many people loved my long hair. Some said that it looked sexy, some said that it looked feminine, and some said that it was perfect for my chubby cheek.
BUT,
I got bored of it. I have been having the same hairstyle for more than 2 years noe, and it's just BORING! So, I felt an urgency to do a bit extreme make-over. I wanted to feel fresh, more energetic and beautiful, and I thought, go shortie would help me much.
So, just like what other ordinary girls do, I asked for people's opinion before deciding.
Funny thing was, most boys said "NO, we love your long hair" and most girls said "YES, go ahead, make a change!"
Ah, even Mars-Venus rules rule the hair-cut case!
But I was true with my willingness to change. So in a hot afternoon I went to Eno salon, my favorite place to refresh my style. And yes, you can see the result. I feel FRESH. More energetic, and I think, sexy look has nothing to do with your haircut, as long as you feel sure of yourself, and as long as you have real inner sexy aura.
So girls... make over? WHY NOT?

writing & being

I've just came back from a discussion with the authors who published their works through Elexmedia Komputindo. They wrote novels in a new genre called as "teen's heart". This is a genre that follows the era of "teen-lit" after the booming of "chic-lit"

Too many genres, I think, now, that publishers try to introduce to the readers' community, while basically they can judt call those new genres into more common stream.
However, I don't want to discuss much about the terms. I just want to share my ideas on how important it is to write.

A special man I used to know told me that I MUST write. He, himself has been writing in many newspapers, not only in his country but also in others'. He told me that history will keep us in his mind only if we have left our ideas in writing works (I don't use the term of "paperwork" here because nowadays it seems irrelevant due to the expansion of e-devices). He kept on saying "WRITING&BEING", and he recommended me to read Nadine Gordimer's book titled 'Writing&Being'

In fact, I'm not a person who doesn't like to write. In fact I LOVE doing it. Yet, writing takes not only creativity but also consistency : that's what I don't posses now.

I have many wild ideas in mind, but I need enough time to spill them out on a writing works. Somehow I am thinking of leavng my office days to have anew life as a writer. I think I have many ideas in mind. But until now I never really know why I always put that idea behind and keep on working.
Do I like certainity too much?

I don't know.
I want to share my ideas on love and life,
and hopefully some people will like it, and who kows, follow it.
I know something for sure now.
I MUST STOP SOMETHING
AND START TO WORK ON SOMETHING NEW
before I regret the hours that I've been throwing away without realizing my dreams!!!
Go, write something great, girl!

Stranger by The Day

Jakarta, a Friday Afternoon.
Feels strange today. Almost losing the space orientation, after buzzling weeks of travelling, new events, up and down feelings.


I'm now sitting in the 19th floor of Ratu Plaza, in training room that I have been in for almost 3 weeks. I feel that the training schedule is so horribly ineffective: begin at 10 am (or even later) and finish at 4 pm (or even sooner). Today is the worst. I was rushing to get back to Jakarta last night, even it looks ridiculous to travel hundreds of kilometers just to have a one-day training before weekend comes. The reason of that ridiculous come-back is my responsibility to perform an actually active participation of the station I am representing.


I leave all personal matters behind this duty. My love life, so many additional jobs that actually can flow more cash into my personal account. I have many other productive hours in my hometown, hours that can give me chances to change or organize something.


No new lessons since this morning.
Tiring. Boresome. Ineffective.
*sigh*
I'd rather be in other place...

c'est le sienne & pont des arts! 

I love you, borobudur... the world's cultural heritage 

knowing me more...

I have some facets of life.
If you want to read more of my poetries than the ones in "puisiku" link, just search "asri wijayanti" on poets' name at the website of international library of poetry.

to read more about me, you can go to suara merdeka's page and sctv's page.

cinta 6 jam (2)

Kali ini semua bermula di sebuah stasiun kereta...
Berlanjut saat tiba-tiba aku telah bersandar di bahunya, melewatkan malam dalam impuls reaksi kimia yang menggerakkan hati dan tubuh kami untuk bertaut. Erat.

Dan hingga malam ini, setelah sepekan terlewat,
aku masih gamang memaknai cinta yang berbeda :
saat seorang suami yang terus berkata bahwa dia mencintai keluarganya,
bukan berarti raganya akan tetap setia!

Aku teringat salib di lehernya, dan cincin kawin di jarinya.
Dia salah satu yang meyakini, bahwa yang telah disatukan Tuhan tak boleh dipisahkan oleh manusia.
Namun dia memisahkan hatinya dari persatuan suci, hanya dalam hitungan menit sejak dia menatapku, dan makin jauh beranjak, saat dia merengkuhku.
*sigh* apa maknamu, cinta?

CINTA 6 JAM...(1)

Hi,
pernah baca novel Andrei Aksana, "cinta 24 jam"?
5 tahun lalu mungkin aku bilang kalau itu tidak mungkin. Tapi hari ini aku tersadar kalau cinta bisa terpercik di ranah hati, tumbuh dan memuncak hanya dalam 6 jam saja...
Kisah Metro No. 13... cerita di hari Sabtu dan first sight yang berlanjut di jalan-jalan sepanjang kota Paris, saat hujan turun separuh, berbagi dengan matahari sore di sisi Pantheon. Aku ingin bilang kalau mungkin ini kesalahan kota cinta, tapi sesungguhnya tak ada yang salah dari cinta. Hanyalah ruang dan waktu yang membuatnya terasa janggal, tapi apalah arti kejanggalan saat hati demikian kuat menginginkan dan menggerakkan syaraf ini?
Malam itu, 5 jam setelah pertemuan pertama, kami duduk di cafe bernuansa Arab, dan dia bercerita tentang sepotong masa kecil di sudut Sahara, saat secangkir kecil teh beruap mint kuteguk pelan-pelan. Sekilas pandangan, dibawah temaram lentera-lentera dan dikelilingi bahasa yang terdengar begitu asing, tiba-tiba dia berkata, "aku sungguh ingin menciummu saat ini..."
Tak ada yang kulakukan selain tersenyum dan merasa aneh, namun 1 jam berikutnya, bibirku telah merengkuh bibirnya di sudut Jardin du Luxemburg, di bawah purnama.
Begitu sederhana, dan tiba-tiba saat hujan tercurah di hari berikutnya, kami telah berpelukan di Champs Ellysee, berlarian dan memercikkan air di paving jalan-jalan kota, lalu melewatkan separuh malam di apartment mungil di sudut kota Pantin.
Aku menatap matanya, dan serasa baru saja dia berkata bahwa kami adalah sepasang pendosa yang jatuh cinta, tiba-tiba saja jam di Charles de Gaulle menunjuk di angka 1 siang dan aku harus berlarian di koridor bandara untuk segera kembali ke Indonesi.
Mawar putih darinya tertinggal di Saint Ouen, hangat pelukannya terjejak di sisi sungai Seine. Aku masih ingat caranya menatapku, namun semua telah berlalu seiring musim yang membasuh jejak-jejak kaki para pelarian cinta di Saint Michel.
Begitu pula cinta...

Asia-Europe Young Volunteers Exchange 2004

a spot of togetherness on a sunny day in Paris, September 2004.. it's Asia-Europe Volunteers Exchange! :-)

Briefly, it's a great program. To know exactly what we did in Asia-Europe Young Volunteers Exchange 2004, just click here.

Perempuan

Aku bangga jadi perempuan. "Perempuan" yang tersandang di hakikat diriku terasa begitu mulia.
Empu
Empu. Kenalilah para pencipta mahakarya budaya.
Merekalah para empu, guru, ahli, pembuat karya besar. Dari akal budi dan tangannya terbentuk mahakarya peradaban. Seorang ahli, kepadanyalah manusia bertanya tentang karya cipta. Dari kekayaan jiwanya saat dia berkaryalah, sebuah benda mati jadi bernyawa. Di padepokannya, manusia belajar untuk berkarya.
Ciptaan empu dikenang sebagai keindahan. Namun di tangan kekejian, ciptaan empu bisa pula menjadi senjata pembunuh yang kejam.
Per"empu"an
Lihat kata per"sawah"an. Itulah tempat dimana petak-petak sawah luas terbentang. Kini, izinkan aku memaknai kata per"empu"an.
Perempuan adalah tempat dimana para empu ada, dilahirkan, dididik di padepokan hidup, dan belajar menjalani kehidupan.
Dan aku, adalah salah satu perempuan.