Three Decades… and Counting

This morning, thirty years ago, Ibu (mom) and Ayah (dad) took a leap of a faith. They married in a simple ceremony in Istiqomah mosque, Bandung, West Java. It was Monday, quite an unusual choice of day for any wedding, but they could only get a leave from their work on that day. Close relatives and friends attended the wedding. There were no big parties with hundreds of guests — they decided to keep the limited means for a start of their new lives.

I came into their lives two years later. And since then, they have been showering me with their love and care. I am lucky to have them, from whom I have learned uncountable precious things, from how to eat to how to read, from how to laugh to how to love. I also learn how to deal with sadness and how to best avoid stress (though I do inherit the tendency to pile tasks til deadlines and thus accumulating lots of stress at the end anyway hahaha).

I am happy and grateful for all the years I’ve spent with them. Countless priceless memories are etched in our small triumvirate lives, and I know more are coming our way.

Dear Ibu and Ayah, thank you for falling in love, for without your love I would not exist. Thank you for sharing the love with me, endlessly. Cheers for more decades to come!

Yang Fana Adalah Waktu
(Sapardi Djoko Damono)

Yang fana adalah waktu. Kita abadi:
memungut detik demi detik, merangkainya seperti bunga
sampai pada suatu hari
kita lupa untuk apa.
“Tapi, yang fana adalah waktu, bukan?”
tanyamu.
Kita abadi.

Time Is Mortal
(Sapardi Djoko Damono — unofficial translation)

Time is mortal. We are eternal:
picking up second after second, stringing it up like flower garlands
until one day
we forget what for.
“But the time is mortal, right?”
you asked.
We are eternal.

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PS. Thank you for friends and families who have participated in the video — it is highly appreciated!