Odisseus’ Mom

I was sent an e-mail this morning from a sister in Eindhoven… Many thanks for her, Vivi, the one who keeps continue to give reminders. As she wrote for us:

“Each day in our life, we have to increase our knowledge on life in order not to be led astray, to be kept guided in the right path, and to be saved in this world and hereafter… right? Sometimes we might get slipped, since as humans we are not free from mistakes and forgetfulness. But there is no excuse other than we should think and think and think about what we have done, whether our activities have been in the corridor of our beliefs. As we have heard from our murrabiah, that religion functions as control for our life. And this is indeed very true. The control is only for our own sake.”

She gave two links of reminders, and in one of those two I found an interesting question, quite a basic one indeed, from one a women living in UK who has had convert to Islam, by her own will–I assume. Yet, the answer given is really a universal one and I believe it will just touch the heart of everyone who read it. The wisdom words just  re-born a feeling inside me to improve myself, my behavior and attitude towards a better one suggested by Islam (which I hope will also impact on my daily life with family and friends), and live a life as a better person in Islam. Yes, those words are not only for those who just new in learning Islam, but also for those who would love to take a break for a while and contemplate with their life.

Salam, dear Jala.

Thank you for your question.

I appreciate your genuine interest in purifying your faith and becoming a good Muslim. Your question really reflects sincere worry about what would be an obstacle in your path towards God, especially after taking such an important and major decision in your life. Converting from one religion to another is a decisive step in one’s life.

The moment someone changes their religion, automatically, many details of their daily life will change. The point that you need to note is that these changes should definitely be happy changes, as long as you have chosen to convert willingly.

If you are pressured or pushed to take Islam as a religion, then it is never a sound conversion. On the other hand, you may be choosing Islam willingly and peacefully submitting your whole self and life to the One and Only Divine Being Who has created you and granted you existence, life, happiness, laughter, sight, and hearing, along with many other blessings and gifts.

In this case, when you completely dedicate your life and self to God, your worries will—in themselves—change. This will never happen because someone is preaching to you and telling you that you should always be “good” and never be “bad”. But it will happen because the way you will enjoy the taste of life will become different.

Today you see that there is some kind of happiness in drinking alcohol with a husband. Maybe you see it as fun or even a relaxing agent that would positively affect a tender relation. Well, you need to notice that yesterday you were a person, and today you are developing into another person. And it is a fact that people differ in what they like or dislike. Today you like the idea of drinking with your husband, but tomorrow you might enjoy more the idea of praying with your husband!

This does not mean at all that you wouldn’t have fun with your husband or that Islam wouldn’t help you enjoy your romantic and emotional moments with a lawful husband. On the contrary, Islam is in favor of tender love and happy souls getting together in lawful marriages.

The Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (peace be upon him), was a very romantic and tender husband. For example, he was sweet and loving to his wife `A’ishah, even when he was leaving this world of ours. When he felt that his time was due, he asked to be moved to her room and he simply died between her arms, breathing his last moments while she was hugging him.

This was just one example among many. But let’s not deviate from our point. What I am trying to explain is that each day I am a different person, yet I am still the very same person! How can this be? Well, if you chose to convert, you will still be Jala and you will still be British and you will still love your friends and family and most of the very same things you like and love today. So you will still be the same person. Yet, something will be added to you.

This addition will be your submission to a greater love. This is the love of the One and Only Creator of all that exists. Does this mean you don’t love God today? No, it doesn’t mean that. It only means that when someone chooses to become a Muslim, they choose to submit peacefully and willingly to Allah, the One and Only Sustainer of all. And that is true love. It is the love that makes you, me or anyone act upon the will of the Beloved. We then act according to what He loves, not according to what we love.

In the Arabic language, the word ‘salam‘ means ‘peace’. So, adding the prefix ‘i’ gives the meaning of peaceful submission to the compound word. This peaceful submission is chosen and never forced. Does this mean that if you chose to drink alcohol after your Islam then you wouldn’t be a Muslim? No, it doesn’t. This might be a striking answer to you and to some others. But there is an Islamic rule that says: “what can’t be totally achieved, shouldn’t be totally neglected.”

There is a big difference between a person who acknowledges that there is a One and Only Creator and Sustainer to this existence and a person who does not. Someone who realizes this fact and realizes the essence of the message of Muhammad and acknowledges his prophethood is simply submitting to the core of Islam. The moment they witness these two points they become a Muslim. Following the guidelines of how to be a correct Muslim or a good Muslim is step number two. Believing is the first stage, then applying or going by the rule is the second stage.

It is crystal clear from every aspect that drinking alcohol is against all Islamic rulings. It is forbidden to drink alcohol whether with a husband or in any other context. The reasons the rule is so have been explained thoroughly by scholars and you would find some reflections on these reasons in the links provided below. But, I would personally like to draw your attention to an important point.

This point is that Islam respects the whole entity of the human character. It respects the soul, brain and body, etc. A Muslim is someone who loves God by their heart, chooses and acknowledges Him by their intellect and then submits all their senses and existence to this choice. Brains and intellect are what gives Man the special human value. Islam does not accept losing this identity or value for the sake of pleasure or even out of sorrow. Islam appreciates your mind and wants you to cherish it in all times. Thus, the effect of alcohol on this valuable blessing is completely denounced by Islam.

Back to the point by which I started my answer; getting changed. As I mentioned at the beginning, your measure for what makes you happy or unhappy changes naturally by time. This happens to every human being due to change of age, circumstances or even status. The more you experience life, the more your ability to enjoy this or that changes according to the changeability of one’s personal catalogue. What about changing one’s religion?

Whether it is a change to Islam or to any other religion, some innate spiritual stands and changes take place within one’s self. As for Islam in specific, a first grade Muslim would get convinced, then a second grade one would submit and start to apply. However, a third grade and a senior one would love to apply. To genuinely and truly love is to love what the Beloved loves. This is to be felt and experienced, never explained in words!

Jala, if you are choosing Islam, do not start by thinking of what you cannot do. But, start by what you are able to do and give. Don’t worry about what you are losing, because you might be gaining much more than you would expect or plan, the moment you start tasting the beauty of your choice. And this will never happen except when you start your first move. Step by step you will find yourself developing into a happier soul. You wouldn’t then worry much about drinking or not drinking, but you will find yourself worrying about pleasing your Beloved; the One you chose to submit to, peacefully and willingly.

It is mentioned in the Islamic heritage that God has promised that whenever a person moves towards Him one step, then He (Almighty) will move a closer step towards that person. And if the person moves quicker, then God would “run” towards that person. Of course this is metaphoric. It just explains that all we need to do is take the first step on our path towards God and then He will help us get closer.

I hope my answer helps you see a clearer vision of Islam. I hope you find happiness and peace for your soul within this lovely religion. And I sincerely pray that you meet a Muslim who enjoys his submission to the Beloved Divine, whom you would happily take as a loving husband and with whom you would share your true joy of life.

Pagi2, buka mailbox, eh ada e-mail dari teman di Jepang, judulnya “1 Dasawarsa Fe 96″. Gak nyangka dan ga berasa udah 10 tahun sejak pertama kali kakiku menjejak di kampus FEUI Depok. Tapi koq rasanya masih kebayang masa2 dulu dengan cukup jelas ya, rasanya belum begitu lama.

Masih inget banget waktu itu 27 Juli 1996, hari pengumumam UMPTN (yes, namanya masih UMPTN :P) pagi2 abis selse solat subuh, ditelpon sahabatku, Nita, dia ngasih kabar dia lolos UMPTN, sementara aku dari sehari sebelumnya agak2 pesimis bisa lolos trus malemnya malah nangis2 pula lagi, karena ga tau mau ngelanjutin sekolah di mana kalo nggak dapet kuliah di UI (norak dan polos sekali ya…:)). Ternyata Nita ngasih kabar kalo aku lulus juga, wah subhanallah, alhamdulillah, aku bener2 ga percaya dengernya karena aku udah pesimis dan udah berdoa mohon sama Allah “Ya Allah gapapa deh kalo aku ga diterima di FEUI, diterima di FISIPUI juga udah seneng koq ya Allah, kasihan Bapak dan Ibu kalau harus ngebiayain kuliahku di swasta…” gitu doaku semalam sebelumnya sambil nangis. Tapi menurut Nita, justru aku diterima di FEUI yang notabene untuk masuk situ standar nilai UMPTN malah harus lebih tinggi dibanding kalo mau masuk FISIPUI.

Segera aku loncat dari tempat tidur, iya lah, loncat, lha wong kebiasaan aku kalo abis solat subuh itu tidur lagi koq. Segera aku lari keluar rumah untuk nyari tukang koran, tapi jam 5.30 pagi itu belum ada tukang koran yang lewat. Akhirnya aku jalan kaki, eh ga berasa, sampe di Pasar Minggu (bener2 kayak orang sinting deh padahal jaraknya mayan jauh dari rumah…:D), Ngeliat tukang koran banyak pada ngumpul lagi bagi2 jatah antaran koran di depan kios pengecer di Ps. Minggu, untung entah gimana di saku celanaku (masih pake celana sedengkul bekas tidur semalam pula) ada uang, cepet2 aku beli koran yang ada pengumuman UMPTNnya. Alhamdulillah bener aja tuh si Nita, namaku ada di situ diterima di FEUI jurusan Studi Pembangunan.

Masa2 kuliah atau sekolah, sepertinya udah jadi daur hidupku deh kalo aku tuh baru mulai biasa dan enjoy sama sekolahku di tahun2 pertengahan menjelang akhir (kuperhatikan ini udah jadi daurku sejak SMP deh), jaman kuliah juga begitu, aku mulai bisa enjoy kuliah setelah tingkat 2 hampir selse. Ya lumayanlah, daripada ga bisa menikmati sama sekali, iya gak? Lulus kuliah tahun 2000, wisuda tahun 2001, 3 bulan nyari kerja trus diterima di satu lembaga penelitian kampus (satu tempat yang dari jaman kuliah sebenernya udah kuhindari untuk bekerja di sana, eh ternyata Allah juga yang Maha Tahu Segalanya, lha udah tau aku nggak mau n mikir nggak bakalan suka kalo kerja di situ, eh malah aku diterima kerja di kantor itu, mana dapet bonus pula 2 tahun setelah itu aku nikah sama salah satu seniorku, jodoh ga jauh2…::P, dan sekarang jadi punya Ody yang lucu dan pinter deh :)).

Ya gitu deh, ga berasa aja proses semua itu berjalan, eh bo’ong dink, sebenernya berasa koq semuanya berjalan, nikmat dan penuh kenangan, tapi tetep aja nggak nyangka jalannya udah secepat ini. Sekarang aku di Belanda, jadi kayaknya hampir pasti ga bisa ikutan acara reunian 10 tahun FEUI angkatan 96 deh. Duh, anak2 pasti dah pada berubah semua…. Kalo ga udah pada gendong bayi, ya pada gandeng pasangan masing2….:)

Selamat mengenang 10 tahun masa2 kita bersama teman2ku sayang “FEUI 96″

Ini dia potongan kabar2i tentang acara peringatan 10 tahun FE96UI:

Assalamu’alaikum,

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Dear all….
jangan lupa ya ditunggu nih partisipasinya untuk meramaikan acara 1  dasawarsa fe96, minggu 30 juli nanti.pendaftaran di tutup 31 mei, tapi  jangan tunggu sampe due date nya lahhh… ayo…ayo…yg daftar duluan, buy 1 get 1 free (buat yg udah punya anak tapiii…hehehe…kan anak2 di bawah 10thn emang gak bayar tohh???).

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dear all,
utk menyukseskan acara 1 dasawarsa angkatan 96 nanti, tolong ya  partisipasinya semua. mungkin bisa dimulai dengan mengumpulkan foto2  yang sudah kita agendakan acaranya.
1. Foto anak & bayi nya 96-ers (kumpulin ke fea); 2. Foto kawinan nya96-ers (kumpulin di helmi); 3. Foto para bujang & single (kumpulin di bertho)

tengkyuuu…

(Kenapa campur aduk? Baca aja sendiri ceritanya, ntar juga insyaAllah bakal paham :D) 

Sekitar jam 1 siang, di kamar sepulang dari kampus. Ga tau kenapa bawaan kayaknya capek & blue banget, mungkin PMS. Sebelumnya sempet chat sama suami (alias ayahnya Ody), tapi seperti biasa aku sering ditinggal begitu aja di tengah2 chat. Tiba2 muncul status: “Maddar has signed out” di YM, tanpa permisi tanpa pamit. Dan seperti biasa, aku yang “tukang protes” ini protes: “Koq, sign out ga bilang2, kan masih kangen pengen ngobrol.” Beda dengan sms edisi tadi malam pas ditinggal tanpa pamit sama suami, aku bilangnya gini: “Aku sebel, koq sign out ga bilang2, kan masih pengen ngobrol.” Eh, tadi malam malah dibales gini sama suami:  “YM-nya tiba2 putus. Jangan sebel donk, ntar endut”. Yeee… apa coba, sapa yang endut, biar kate di Belande juga, aku nih malah mengalami anomali dalam hal berat badan dibanding temen2ku di sini. Di saat temen2ku lainnya berat badannya naik secara cukup signifikan (duh bahasanya sok statistik banget :P), eh aku malah turun secara signifikan pula, total udah turun 8 kg sejak datang, ini artinya udah hampir get to normal size. Bayangin pas hamil dulu kan naik 20 kg, sampe suka dikira hamil anak kembar. padahal sih pas Ody lahir beratnya “hanya” 3,5 kg. Kata suami waktu itu: “Ternyata nettonya hanya 3,5 kg :))”. Ternyata tinggal di Belande ada hikmahnya juga, bagus buat program penurunan berat badan. Eh, udah koq, malah ngebahas berat badan…:D

Tadi malam sekitar jam 8 aku baru pulang dari sportshall, udah 2 minggu mulai latihan bulutangkis ceritany biar tetep fit, abis mau berenang, kolam renangnya terbuka2, padahal dah kangen banget pengen berenang. Ceritanya mau mulai rutin olahraga di sportshall, berhubung sarana renang ga sesuai sama kondisi pribadi, mau lari eh lah koq ga kuat, mau main basket kalah tinggi ma bule2, mau main voli koq yang main cowok semua plus tinggi gede semua, ya udah pilih olahraga khas Asia, yup… main bulutangkis. Aku main ganda, pasangan sama anak Afrika, ngelawan anak India. Main dua set eh dua2nya kalah. Pas pulang, ujan mulai turun, sampe rumah ngecek ponsel, eh ada sms dari suami, tumben2 ngajak chat. Kubalas: “Tunggu 30 menit yah, sebab mau mandi dulu tadi di jalan naik sepeda keujanan”. Kata suami: “Ok”. Abis mandi, trus solat asar. Baru nyalain kompi sambil masak nasi, perut dah kruyukan.

Nah, itu dia, lagi asik2 chat (iya lah asik, lha wong chat sama suami, sambil makan n nonton tivi pula *kebetulan ada film X-Men 2*), udah agak maleman, tiba2 suami sign out dari YM, tanpa ba bi bu. Duh, sedih donk, nelongso, kangen aja belum tuntas… hiks…:( Makanya jadilah kirim sms malem itu juga ke suami, ngadu2 sebel ditinggalin di YM. Dan siang ini kejadian itu terulang lagi… sebel lagi deh… sedih lagi deh… Tapi ga boleh donk bilang “sebel” lagi ke suami, akhirnya dikirimlah sms kayak di atas. Eh, ga dibales… duh… nyesek… pengen deh nangis…. Beberapa saat kemudian pengen lagi kirim sms, cuma sekedar bilang “kangen”, tapi biasalah aku ini suka sok2 nahan diri. Akhirnya, cuma sempet nulis kata “kangen” aja di ponsel tanpa jadi dikirimkan sms tsb.

Eh, lagi pusing2 ngerjain tugas kuliah, meja lagi berantakan sama segala macem barang, barusan aja, ada suara sms masuk. Duh, di mana lagi tuh barang, ngumpet ketindih2 segala macem kertas. Kubuka dan kubaca, eh ternyata sms dari suami, isinya singkat aja” Kangen”. Alhamdulillah, benang merah hati kami masih disatukan dengan erat oleh Allah SWT, kejadian tadi hanya salah satu contoh aja. Tapi kali ini aku nggak mau bales dulu ah, biasa tahan diri dulu, nunggu suami ngeluarin kata2 yang lebih “yahud”. Hihihihi…:)

My first class conference last week was crushed by an e-mail came from one professor in the ISS, it was about a joke between a Rabbit and a Fox. Soon it became a famous joke between us, all ISS participants, especially when Lorenc (one of my pal) gave a respond for the e-mail. Let’s name the professor as Prof. JB, he teaches “Public Sector Reform” class, here comes his joke–I’d like to give it a predicate as e-mail and joke of the week on MA student conference, the “Policy Lesson”: 

It’s a fine sunny day in the forest and a rabbit is sitting outside his burrow, tippy-tapping on his typewriter. Along comes a fox, out for a walk.

Fox: “What are you working on?”

Rabbit: “My thesis.”

Fox: “Hmm… What is it about?”

Rabbit: “Oh, I’m writing about how rabbits eat foxes.”

Fox: “That’s ridiculous ! Any fool knows that rabbits don’t eat foxes!

Rabbit: “Come with me and I’ll show you!”

They both disappear into the rabbit’s burrow. After few minutes, gnawing on a fox bone, the rabbit returns to his typewriter and resumes typing.

Soon a wolf comes along and stops to watch the hardworking rabbit.

Wolf: “What’s that you are writing?”

Rabbit: “I’m doing a thesis on how rabbits eat wolves.”

Wolf: “you don’t expect to get such rubbish published, do you?”

Rabbit: “No problem. Do you want to see why?”

The rabbit and the wolf go into the burrow and again the rabbit returns by himself, after a few minutes, and goes back to typing.

Finally a bear comes along and asks, “What are you doing?

Rabbit: “I’m doing a thesis on how rabbits eat bears.”

Bear: “Well that’s absurd ! “

Rabbit: “Come into my home and I’ll show you”

Scene : As they enter the burrow, the rabbit introduces the bear to a lion.

Moral: IT DOESN’T MATTER HOW SILLY YOUR THESIS TOPIC IS; WHAT MATTERS IS WHOM YOU HAVE AS A SUPERVISOR.

And then my “crazy” pal, Lorenc, from out of nowhere, thought that he should respond the e-mail. He tried to figure out how to respond for Prof JB’s joke in a “proper” manner. After a pause of some time for a hard thinking (according to Ita), he came to a crazy idea for responding Prof JB’s joke. Read it yourself, “Policy Lesson, Continued…”, then you will find out how really “crazy” Lorenc is:

A rabbit was assigned the Lion as Supervisor for his research thesis.

Confident enough that through his research he would discover something that no one else knew, and contribute to the wealth of animal knowledge and understanding,

The rabbit sat near a canal and started typewriting.

After a while a fox passes nearby. The rabbit was eager to show her what he was writing, but she simply greeted him and continued her walk.

Soon after a wolf passes nearby, and the rabbit jumps to tell him what his paper was all  about, but the wolf said he had to rush cause his wife was on holidays and he had to take care of the kids at home.

Finally a bear comes along and asks: “What are you writing?”

The rabbit was so happy that started to make a summary of his paper. But the bear interrupted him abruptly: “Don’t care to know, just asked for being polite”.

Moral: “NO MATTER HOW GOOD YOUR THESIS OR YOUR SUPERVISOR IS; PROBABLY THERE WILL BE ONLY THE TWO OF YOU WHO WILL READ IT”

Have a nice weekend everybody…:)  

The Hague atmosfer is changing as spring comes. Tourists are coming again to enjoy the city, people are hanging around the park in front of Queen’s palace, people are either biking or walking trying to enjoy the festivity of spring season. For me, it’s the first time I’d be able to enjoy spring season. It’s beautiful and amazing I think, especially when I start to realize that trees and leaves have already begin to grow again. Their small and green leaves, white, pink and yellow petals, are symbols of miracle and God’s mighty to re-grow something that once in the winter seems have already died. The sun shines bright and warm and raises a feeling like I’m at home, even I don’t feel totally complete here without my husband and son. It would be very great and complete if only I could share this season with them. But thank God I have such a good friends here, which somehow could ease a bit my lonesome feeling.

This spring what I really want is to inhale the city’s new atmostfer. I feel like I just want to get the most of this season. For example, last Thursday, when I went to a park in front of Queen’s Beatrix’s office in Noordeinde, I did it intentionally just to have a read of a journal that Robert has asked me to (fyi, Robert is now becoming my thesis’s supervisor), while at the same time also wanted to get mixed with all tourists came to enjoy this city. And last Wednesday as well when I read John’s e-mail in the conference about bike riding. He invited us, all ISS participants including the rector, to have a bike riding together on Friday’s afternoon. “We’ll go biking to the Queen’s garden and some The Hague spots that you have never been discovered yet before, just prepare your bike with fine tires, gather on in front of ISS at 1 pm, and bring along your lunch and camera”, as he wrote on his e-mail. I replied. “I’d like to join the bike ride, please count me in”.  I really thought that this would be a nice trip.

Unfortunately, when I had my bike, camera, and lunch prepared, it seemed that most of my dearest friends could not come and join the ride, since they had a class either at 2 or 4 pm yesterday. It was a bit dissapointing. I didn’t want to go biking without anyone close enough to me join the trip. At the last moment I had decided not to come and join the bike ride, it wouldn’t be a cheerful trip without my close friends join the trip. To resist myself became more dissapoint and lonely, I tried to organize my own bike trip at 4 pm, lucky enough I could made Mirna and Dina as the starters to join my bike riding trip. Then Ita and Herni, then Mba Diah and Adrian. At 4.40 pm there were 6 people gathered in front of Dorus for this trip: me, Dina, Mirna, Mba Diah, Avi, and Daigo, but then Adrian caught us latter at 5.30. Ita could not join since her bike’s gear seemed to have a problem and it was not fixed yet until the time we left, and Herni, she had a class at 4 but she did caught us latter in our way to the beach at 6.

Daigo suggested us to go to Rose garden first, it is in the middle of the way to the beach, we agreed and then followed him. The first stop we made was at a park, this park has a small lake, and a monument erected in the front to remember and give respect for all Dutch’s soldiers who became victims of World War II. From the monument, we continued our trip to the Rose garden, I don’t even know why they give Rose name for the garden since we didn’t even find any roses there. This garden is belong to the Gemeente of The Hague. Some families and couples were enjoying their spare times there and we even saw a family party being held at the garden. Small boats were lying down in the lake side inside the garden.    

For me, a bike ride would not be complete without going to the beach, as usual…:) It already feels like a ritual for me to have a bike ride to the beach. This time, the beach feels more joyful and merrier, people of many ages are everywhre, snakc and souvenirs shops, bungee jumping spot, coffee shops, restaurants, amusement park, sea life aquarium, casinos, and theathers are all opened for the visitors. We locked our bikes and went to a patat and vis (potato and fish) shop near a corner to have our meal, yes, biking had made us starving I guess. We ordered seafood menu with potatoes and soft drink and enjoyed our meal in front of the beach, sharing stories and jokes, unfortunately we felt very full already because of the seafood, therefore this time there was no ice cream as our desert. For me, it’s just a few of many more ways to enjoy spring, I have re-invited them this morning to have another bike ride to Mariahoeve next week, let’s wait for another story of spring time in The Hague. 

Mirna, Avi, me, Daigo, and Dina

Daigo, Mirna, Mba Diah, Avi, and me

Girls only….

The Rose Garden, which seems don’t even have any roses…:P

Biasanya Ayah dan Ody kalo difoto bareng cukup kompak dan bahkan menurut Ibu cukup fotogenic juga lah…:p Makanya dulu waktu Ibu masih di Jakarta, Ibu paling suka motret2 Ayah yang lagi berduaan sama Ody. Sebab kayak anak kembar, sama-sama bulet, hihihi…:P (maaf ya, jangan marah). Ibu juga koq, yang dulu pernah bilang, “Kalo punya anak lebih baik wajahnya mirip Ayah aja, jadi kalo Ayahnya lagi gada di rumah ngeliatin anaknya aja udah sama”. Eh beneran, pas Ody baru lahir, waktu Ibu masih di ruang operasi, dikasih liat muka Ody yang baru lahir, masih merah terus sambil nguap gitu, wajahnya mirip banget ma Ayah, kayak Ayah difotokopi dan diperkecil deh…:) Nah ini foto yang ini nih, contoh foto kompaknya Ayah dan Ody, waktu itu Ody masih umur 6 bulan. Lokasinya di Kampus UI Depok pas hari Sabtu. Kadangkala Ayah ngajar hari Sabtu, kebetulan waktu itu Ibu dan Ody juga pingin ikut sekalian. Jadilah satu foto ini (salah satu favorit Ibu).  

Terus ada lagi salah satu foto favorit Ibu. Ayah dan Ody lagi sama-sama kompak tuh (paling nggak menurut Ibu lo ya, *yang lain ga boleh protes :P) yaitu foto di pesta. Waktu itu acara nikahannya sahabat baik Ayah (udah kaya’ sodara lah…) yakni Oom Aco dan Tante Anna, di Hotel Sangrila kalo ga salah bulan April tahun 2005 deh. Ody lagi suka2nya ngulum2 bibir bawahnya begitu, dan sampe sekarang juga sepertinya masih lanjut deh kebiasaan itu. Menurut Ibu sih, “Memang Ayah dan Ody mukanya boleh mirip, tapi koq, warna kulit Ody lebih mirip sama Ibu ya…:D” hihihi…. Ayah lebih coklat :). Nah, di pesta itu malah gada tuh foto Ibu sama Ody… hiks sedih lupa difoto balik sama Ayah *pura2 sedih* Btw, muka Ody bulet banget gitu emang tipikal muka bayi begitu atau emang Ody doank ya….

Tapi setahun kemudian koq kekompakan itu jadi gada lagi ya. Ini lagi kurang kompak aja kali yah. Ada satu foto yang dijepret sama Tante Adek, bulan April kemarin. Abis mandi sore2, Ody diajak Ayah jalan2 ke Cibubur, jemput Kak Ani di rumah temannya. Nah pas mau berangkat ngeliat Tante udah siap sama kameranya, Ody seneng banget, nyengir gitu sambil nunjukkin telunjuknya ke Tante Adek. Eh, lha koq malah si Ayah, liat deh lagi ngapain, lagi sibuk sama handphonenya. Duh, Ayah lagi sibuk sms-an sama sapa seh? Padahal Ody udah pasang gaya oke gitu. Ini Ody duduk di depan sambil nungguin Ayah manasin mesin mobil. Tapi Ody nggak duduk di depan sendirian loh pas mobil Ayah jalan. Biasanya Ody duduk di belakang sama Mba Ria, sambil mainan. Coba kalo Ody dikasih duduk di depan, bisa2 dia pingin gantiin posisi Ayah nyetir mobil deh.

Kaya’ dulu misalnya waktu masih bareng2 sama Ibu, kita jalan2 ke Mal Ambasador, Ibu duduk di depan sambil pangku Ody, eh trus Ody dengan lincah tangannya ngutak-atik semua panel di dashboard mobil. Kurang puas, dia mau juga ngutak-atik setir mobil, tangannya menjulur2 mau megang stir. Nah trus Ody Ibu pindahin Ody ke pangkuan Ayah supaya lebih leluasa mengekplorasi kemudi. Wah senengnya bukan main Ody, lihat aja fotonya tuh, ekspresinya penuh kemenangan berhasil menguasai jok kemudi, gayanya itu loh udah serasa pengemudi ulung. Nah masalahnya muncul pas Ayah mau belok masuk ke tempat parkir Mal, ternyata sama Ody tangkai lampu sen dia pegang kuat2, Ayah jadi nggak bisa nyalain lampu sen tanda belok. Duh, Ody…:) Tapi tetep aja (lagi-lagi menurut Ibu *yang lain ga boleh protes*), waktu itu Ayah dan Ody bergaya cukup kompak koq, nih lihat aja fotonya. Menurut Ibu, Ody hanya perlu latihan sedikit lagi supaya bisa jadi pengemudi yang baik dan menguasai jalanan di Jakarta trus gantiin Ibu jadi navigator dan supirnya Ayah (kalo Ayah lagi males nyetir) ya Sayang, Ayah kan pelupa sama jalanan di Jakarta :).

Tapi, foto yang terakhir ini bener2 menunjukkan betapa lagi nggak kompaknya Ody dan Ayah. Gantian deh ceritanya, pas Ayahnya udah senyum ke kamera, giliran Ody yang malah bengong ngeliat ke arah lain. Ody lagi bengong ngeliat apa seh?  Mungkin lain kali perlu ada Ibu di situ tampil sebagai pengarah gaya kali ya… ceile….:P Ngatur supaya Ayah dan Ody sama2 kompak lagi dan tampil lebih fotogenik *ngaburr… takut kena jitak Ayah dan Ody*. Ya udah deh, sekarang mesin mobilnya udah panas, Ayah dan Ody siap berangkat ke Cibubur, “Daag Eyang…, daag Tante…, Ody pergi dulu assalamu’alaikum.” Selamat jalan-jalan ya Sayang, pesan Ibu satu aja: hati-hati di jalan, nyetirnya yang baik (jangan kaya’ Ibu yang suka “hajar bleh”, kebiasaan buruk yang sama sekali nggak boleh ditiru).

Abis mandi, di kamar, eh rupanya belum sempet pake baju, trus Ody ditegur sama Tante Adek, “Ody malu tuh belum pake baju, ayo tutupin dulu pake handuk.” Eh, Ody ngerti langsung narik handuk yang ada di deketnya, sambil nutupin, mana mukanya ekspresi suprise gitu lagi, bisa aja Ody deh…:) Pas kebetulan Tante Adek masih megang kamera, jadilah Ody dijepret lagi sama Tante. Berhubung jadi anak kecil satu2nya di rumah, emang biasalah kalo Ody jadi pusat perhatian. Apa2 yang dia lakukan, terutama ekspresi lucu dan tingkah uniknya Ody biasanya sering terekam di kamera Tante. Btw, koq ekspresi Ody ini mirip ekspresi orang dewasa yang lagi difoto sambil bilang “Cheese” gitu yah… ada2 aja deh Di tangan kanan megang tempat bedak bayi, ya Ody biasanya sambil dipakein baju tangannya juga ikutan sibuk kalo nggak mainan botol minyak kayu putih, ya mainan bedak atau apa apa aja botol yang bentuknya menarik. Hati2 jangan dekat2, kalo lagi gemes dia suka ngegetok orang pake botol yang ada di tangannya.

Nah, selesai pake handuk, baru pake baju biar rapi. Ini dia nih posenya Ody setelah pake baju rapi. Waktu mau difoto disuruh gaya, eh dianya milih gaya khas, senyum sambil memiringkan kepala gitu. Ini hasil pelajaran akting dari Tante Opi katanya, kalo difoto gaya begitu, bisa aja kamu Dy…:) Tapi koq tangannya ikutan masuk ke mulut sih? Selesai pakai baju rapi baru deh Ody siap jalan2 sore. Biasanya sih putar2 komplek aja. Ody suka sekali jalan2, mungkin lagi senang2nya merasakan serunya melangkah sendiri, pasti rasanya ajaib ya buat Ody. Kata Tante Adek, nggak peduli panas ato gerimis, kalo udah ingin jalan2 keluar harus diturutin, kalo nggak ntar ngambek. Dia tunjuk2 dan ambil sendal Eyang ato Tante, trus suruh mereka pake supaya bisa nemenin Ody jalan2. Sayang deh, udah rapi dan cakep gitu masa’ anak soleh Ibu ngambek seh? Kalau hujan jalan2nya di rumah aja ya Sayang.

Assalamu’alaikum wr wb Ody anak soleh Ibu, apa kabarnya Sayang? Dua hari yang lalu Ibu terima titipan foto Ody, senang sekali Ibu, alhamdulillah, Ody lucu2 sekali kelihatannya di foto2 itu. Ada satu yang bikin Ibu ketawa2 ngelihatnya yakni tingkah Ody sebelum mandi sore. Ini dia ceritanya.

Satu sore di bulan April yang lalu. Sore jam 4 biasanya waktunya Ody mandi sore. Tapi biasalah, yang namanya Ody anaknya nggak mau diem, ada aja ulahnya. Nah sore itu kan Ody mau dibuka bajunya (iyalah namanya juga mandi), eh malah dia jadi tarik2an baju sama Eyang. Eyang mau buka bajunya, Ody nggak mau dibuka bajunya. Jadilah bajunya Ody setengah tertarik gitu. Eh, pas lagi itu Tante Adek megang kamera, jadilah Ody dijepret sama Tante dalam keadaan bajunya masih nyangkut di kepala. Bukan Ody namanya kalau gak ada perlawanan dan bikin aksi yang lucu2….

Ibu ketawa abis ngeliat pose Ody begini. Kata Eyang, “Maaf ya, ini anaknya bergaya kayak preman, abis dibuka bajunya malah nggak mau.”  Kalau dibuka bajunya pasti nyariin deh trus mau dipake lagi. Trus entar kalo bajunya udah berhasil dia ambil lagi, Ody terus ketawa2 cekikikan ngecandain Eyang, merasa menang berhasil ngerebut bajunya.

Nah, yang ini giliran Mba Ria yang Ody becandain. Biasalah, masih berhubungan sama ritual mandi. Duh, kenapa ya anak kecil kalo disuruh mandi suka susah, apalagi Ody, bisa banget ngelesnya. Mungkin risih kali ya dibuka2 bajunya, kan dingin…:P Tapi kalo udah mainan air, malah bisa sebaliknya mau terus2an main di kamar mandi. Tapi kali ini entah dia lagi becanda apa sebelum mandi, susternya sampe ketawa gitu. Oh, rupanya kata Eyang, Ody kan sekarang lagi belajar akting dari Tante Opi, trus pas mau mandi rupanya dia mau praktekkin ilmu aktingnya. Hehehe… yang ada susternya sampe ketawa2 cekikikan gitu ngeliat gaya Ody yang rame sebelum mandi. Kata Eyang, “Habis Ody-nya malah petakilan (bahasa Jawa artinya pecicilan/nggak bisa diam) trus becanda cekikikan. Ody tuh seneng banget diajak bercanda.”

Hihihi, Ibu aja ketawa2 ngeliat foto Ody yang lucu gitu, apalagi orang2 di rumah. Dulu pertama kali terima foto2 Ody, Ibu nangis, sebab Ody udah banyak berubah walaupun waktu itu baru 3 bulan Ibu nggak lihat Ody. Tapi sekarang Ibu udah nggak nangis lagi, Ibu malah bersyukur dan senang ngeliat foto2 Ody yang lucu2 dan udah semakin besar dan pintar. Memang terus terang Ibu juga sedih kerena Ibu nggak bisa ngelihat semua tingkah laku dan perkembangan Ody secara langsung. Tapi semua ini memang “harga” yang harus Ibu bayar, dan Ibu sadar sekali dengan konsekuensi itu. Ibu hanya bisa bersyukur dan berdoa untuk Ody sambil terus bersabar di sini.

Nah kalo yang ini malah kebalikannya, bukan Ody kalo nggak bisa bikin orang bingung, pas orang2 pada ketawa ngeliat aktiing asalnya Ody, eh dianya terus malah diem, sambil gigit jarinya, udah capek kali ketawa2 terus. Ya udah deh, kalo gitu Ody mandi dulu biar badannya bersih dan segar. Coba ya, itu kakinya dilipat manis banget, sayang nggak pake baju gitu. Mungkin ini salah satu kesukaan Ody yang lain kali ya, duduk sambil lipat kaki gitu. Niru siapa kamu Dy? Kata Eyang, “Betisnya mantep :)” hihihi…

Oya, di foto Ody rambut Ody belum dicukur lagi. Biasanya kan kepala Ody selalu botak, Ibu suka ngeliat kepala Ody botak, jadi lebih lucu. Kebiasaan ngebotakin rambut ini sebetulnya punya maksud supaya rambut Ody nanti tumbuhnya lebat. Sekarang ini sih, rambut Ody masih tipis gitu, mudah2an nanti ke depannya rambut Ody bagus ya tumbuhnya lebat. Amin.

Assalamu’alaikum all…:)

My narcism begins (actually, I think I have to be honest that it has already began quite a long time ago *confession*) last weekend, when I had a chance to visit Keukenhof in Lisse. Along with my travelling partners (Tour de Holland team as we call ourselves *what a name for such a soulmate travelling partner!*) our narcism began since Friday evening in Amsterdam, and Saturday when we were in Queen’s day in Amsterdam, then reached its highlight in Keukenhof, Sunday morning. Now, I’ll just let the flowers tell the story, enjoy…!:)

Photos can be seen at Endah’s and Dini’s photo gallery

 Photo by: Endah and Dini

Flower collection: Keukenhof, Spring 2006

Narcistists: Dini (Groningen), Endah (The Hague), Hana (Amsterdam), Salwa (Leeuwarden)

Location: Keukenhof-Lisse, The Netherlands