Happiness

A dearly friend was having a birthday yesterday. And she spent most of the day pampering herself. Did a massage, bought a pair of jeans and bangles, but I am very sure what matter the most was she enjoyed herself of being 29.

And at the same day, I surrendered myself getting trapped in a bookstore I always love: Kinokuniya, while the rain was pouring hard. There I was, sitting on the floor facing hundreds of books in hobby and craft section with Bono banging my ears. It has been a very long time since I had my Kinokuniya time. The last time I remembered was … maybe eight years ago.

“Happiness is a word for a feeling. Feelings are rarely understood; in a moment they are quickly forgotten and misremembered.” – Dr. Henry Carter, Shrink movie.

Yes, I most of the times lost in things I thought would make me happy. And it turns out, that I was not really happy after all. Instead, a simple thing like being alone for a while and got drown in the ocean of words could really made my day. And I just simply forgot that. Because I have been very busy misremembering things I thought would make me happier.

What is happiness?

Is it true that we will be happy if we know what we want?
Or will we be happy if we manage to differentiate our needs and wants? And which one will make us happier, when we got what we want or when we got our needs fulfilled?

After a journey to my past, I found out that for me; happiness is when I can embrace myself, little me and my alter ego (yes, those are the angels and nemesis deep in me) together. And is when I can forgive myself of not knowing what is happening or what to do.

Happy birthday, Ruri :) Though the first step toward happiness is always the hardest, I know you can do it.

an epilog to my journey

There I was, flying in between the clouds. With my two hands that were so tiny to bear the huge clouds. Clouds that used to be white and light as cotton, it became dark and swollen. It was almost raining. Then I stopped flying for a little while and enjoyed the scenery while floating in the air.

In a point of your life, when you just don’t know what to do, all you need is just admitting. And amazingly, the bulky swollen dark clouds started rearranged themselves into thin layers. It was thinner and thinner until I finally saw the clearer sky.

There I was with a beautiful stranger. Tanned skin, brownish shoulder-length hair, his hazel eyes greeted me. The sand beach sprinkle on his cheek gave a little spark for my day. In one word, he was an olive. We chat, we laughed under the starry sky and lulled by the whisper of the wave. No judgments, no assumptions, no demands, no expectation. For we thought we would never meet again in the other day. We just cherished the day we met and be grateful of what we had. Period. Sometimes, or many times if I may say, a stranger can really be your true friend.

The word ‘stranger’ is somewhat beautiful. If only I knew that I have always been a stranger everyday, I would never be afraid to always find the new me. For it will give me the strength to admit who I was and what I have done wrong. If only I knew the person I love has always been a stranger in everyday, I would never feel tired to know more about the new him/her in every single day. For the first time in my life, I realized that being inconsistent is good.

There I was, got drown in the wild ocean. Looking for a help but no one was there. When I got choked. When I lost my breath. When I felt I had enough. When I would rather die. But it did not kill me, anyway. It only made my lungs stronger to breathe more volume of the air. I have learnt that I need to scream louder. I have also learnt that I was my own savior and will always be. And I realized the wave that drowned me, was the one that pushed me up to the surface. Many times, it is a disaster or those people you hate that saved you.

May the positive energy stays in me and the people I love.

Anantara Seminyak, 2009.

1212 greetings from bali

Mereka

saat mata sudah tenggelam,
ada orang-orang yang baru saja menyongsong harinya.

- Anantara, untuk pesawat yang baru saja lepas landas di merah jingga surya -

912 greetings from bali

"
itukah kenapa Tuhan memberiku rasa?
agar aku tak melulu bertanya kenapa dan bagaimana?
"

-Anantara, amongst the sips of Bali Colada-

812 greetings from bali

Matahari di Anantara

(aku pikir)
hari yang biasa
dimana ia telah selesai menempuh perjalanannya
dengan mata yang melorot, menyentuh ujung senja

(aku pikir)
hari yang biasa.
(aku rasa)
tidak.

di sini, hari ini,
di tempat yang sama
tapi dengan rasa yang berbeda

saat berada di titik akhir, aku berpikir bagaimana semua berawal

saat hari berkumpul, bergumul, meluncur tak beratur serta tak lagi mampu diatur dan aku, kamu, dia, dan mereka menjadi satu dalam hari. kita bertemu, bersinggungan dan bergandengan. kenapa hari ini? kenapa tidak hari kemarin? kamu. dia. mereka. aku. seringkali semua membuatku meronta. tapi lebih seringnya, … membuatku lupa.

(aku pikir)
hari yang biasa.
(aku rasa)
tidak.

tiga puluh kali aku mengelilingi matahari. tapi tak penuhnya aku mengerti diri, hingga detik ini. mungkin nanti, saat ragaku berganti dengan yang lain lagi. itulah kenapa Tuhan memberiku rasa? hingga aku tak hanya bertanya kenapa dan bagaimana?

(aku pikir)
hari yang biasa.
(aku rasa)
tidak.

seperti yang selalu digariskan, hari ini berbeda dengan hari kemarin. dan hari manapun. sama asingnya dengan hari-hari sebelum dan sesudahnya. seandainya aku tahu aku bisa selalu belajar dari keasingan di hadapanku, tak akan lelahnya aku ingin mengenalmu. karena aku dan kamu tak pernah sama, tapi bukan berarti kita selalu berbeda. dan kita bertemu lagi. bersinggungan lagi, bergandengan lagi sampai tiba waktunya. lagi.

(aku pikir)
hari yang biasa.
(aku rasa)
tidak.

saat mata menyentuh ujung senja dan hari telah hilang, menyisakan garis jelas berupa keyakinan dan harapan yang selalu menjadi bayang. maka ia pun pulang. mengepakkan sayap ke garis awan. kadang lelah, kadang patah, kadang menyerah. kadang cahaya kemarin lebih terang dari hari ini. dan esok, tak pernah memberi janji. tapi ia tahu, hari tak boleh berhenti. karena dia percaya, akan selalu ada cahaya yang membangunkannya esok hari.

(aku pikir)
hari yang biasa.
(aku rasa)
tidak.

a prologue to my journey

funny. what a funny life. no matter how hard I tried ( I mean it when i wrote the 'hard' part), this is the journey I have to bear alone.
Even at the last minutes of the departure, when i still try (even harder).

in life or death, we are all gonna be alone.

and this is my first flight alone, to go to somewhere I do not know what I'm looking for.
viva la vida is banging my ear, as the plane took off its ground.
and I laughed.

gracias ala vida.
thanks to life.
what have I not experienced in my year of 30.
i felt so rich.
i have experienced a life full of love.
and full of those people around who loves me.

thank you God.
i know I always be the one who always have my fear deep in me: to be alone.
but I knew somehow, also deep in me, I always have the courage to always try.

the plane took off its ground.
giving me a beautiful scenery of the cottony clouds.
and I was looking at my own tiny hands.
can i bear these?
and the clowds slowly rearranged themselves.
spreading into thin layers, .. clear thin layers.
that is life.

when you stop rebelling, took out yourself from the satanic circle and just be an observer for a while.
forgetting of what you want, of what you are expecting, of your judgements.
there.
there.
you will see much clearer though.

'walking after you' is banging my ear now.
i know, someone will always be walking after me.


- in between the clouds, 06:50 -

Colorblind - counting crows

I am color...blind
Coffee black and egg white
Pull me out from inside
I am ready
I am ready
I am ready
I am

taffy stuck, tongue tied
Stuttered shook and uptight
Pull me out from inside
I am ready
I am ready
I am ready
I am...fine

I am covered in skin
No one gets to come in
Pull me out from inside
I am folded, and unfolded, and unfolding

I am
colorblind
Coffee black and egg white
Pull me out from inside
I am ready
I am ready
I am ready
I am...fine
I am.... fine
I am fine

ps: Rio, thank you for the song!