Gratitude

Thanksgiving Everyday

Being thankful is an easy thing to do,
When wonderful occurrences happen to you.
Being thankful when rocky times roll around,
Doesn't come easy when your face is to the ground.

Daily our attitude must be one of new hope,
Keep expectations high while we struggle and cope.
It's all in our attitude and the choices we make.
There's a lot to be thankful for. There's a lot at stake.

Our very well-being hinges on how well we perceive,
The notions, commotions, hurts and pain we receive.
When someone slaps you on the cheek,
Words of forgiveness you must speak.

Don't hold bitterness and resentment in your heart.
Wake each morning prepared to make a brand new start.
If you approach each situation and people in this light,
Your conscience will be clean and your heart will be right.

YOU CAN BE THANKFUL

©2010 Ellen Marie Parker

It's really hard sometimes to always be thankful, like I am now. Again life is tense, and all I can do is keep surrendering everything to God. I'll just do my best, and put the rest in His loving hands.

Ephemeral beauty

pic taken from http://www.basugasubakuhatsu.com/blog/2006/07/page/5/

Walking down a street one summer evening in Tokyo, you’ll see many girls wearing colorful yukata. Their hair are done in such a nice way, with flowers or hairpin adding to the created beauty. The boys are sometimes also dress in yukata, matching the girls they are going out with. When they are hanging out in a group, they will be chatting cheerfully and laughing and teasing each other. When there are just the two of them, the girl and the boy will walk hand in hand, sometimes looking to each other with a deep stare..

Along the street, you’ll see many food vendors. Delicious takoyaki, tasty okonamiyaki, appetizing yakitori, nice yakisoba, cold beer.. The smoke going on the air from the hot grills, the vendors trying to attract customer with their noisy shouting, children crying to get the parents buy them something.. Hmm, what an enchanting atmosphere!

Then suddenly you’ll hear an explosive sound. And there on near dark sky, you’ll see something glittery lighting up the dimness, adorning the dullness. It will compose various interesting forms, sometimes flowery, sometimes waterfall-like, or even heart-shaped ones. You’ll not be able to help but smile wide. But as soon as they appear, so quickly they will be gone. Beautiful they are, those glamorizing fireworks, but only ephemeral..

And that summer evening, I walked alone in the crowd, absorbed in the fascinating ambience, spellbound by the glowing fireworks. My heart filled with a warm feeling. But all of a sudden, I felt so lonely. Everything became so fuzzy, and oh, I felt so lonely! Maybe it was good to be with someone. Maybe afterall, it’s good to miss someone..

*Actually I have posted this entry sometime ago, deleted it, and now I decide to put it here again :)

Autumn in My Heart

The weather is finally cooler now here in Tokyo, with the wind starts to blow frequently, bringing the heavenly breeze. The trees start to wither, and the remnants are turning into warm yellowish-sorrel color. Autumn is coming, and all the changes give a pleasant mood.

But as the season change, so it does with my heart. The cheerful and colorful spring is gone, and my heart withers inevitably. I wanted to keep it warm so badly that in the contrary all the efforts were futile. And  for that, I blame my inpatience. Sadly enough, I didn't realize that untill it is too late..

To see the bright side, autumn in English means the season of harvest. In four-season countries, it is the time where all the labors are paid, where all the crops are finally gathered. I wish that somehow all my efforst are not wasteful. Autumn is also associated with the period of maturity. I hope that with the lesson learned I will become a more mature and prudent person.

I know I have to come to term with myself, and I am trying so hard not to blame myself for what had been lost. Autumn will not stay forever. Winter - the hybernating time, will come, and it will give me a selah, a time to retreat, to pause and to ponder. And after that, I wish the spring will come with all the cheerfulness and hope..

In the corner of my heart, I still somehow hopeful that there would be a second opportunity. And when it actually come, I will give it a chance for sure..

SIGNS

Friendship in relationship

That is something which suddenly pop up on my mind when I woke up this morning, so I decided to write about it..

Have you ever heard about it, that friendship is the foundation of man-woman relationship, and that like the corner-stone for a house, the stronger it is the more sturdy your relationship will be? I was told about it for the first time not by my parents, but by one of my teacher. He said it ties his and his wife relationship up and helps them in sustaining their marriage. At that time I just digested that wisdom without really comprehended the meaning..

Last night, I am not quite sure how it began, I and a friend started to talk about sex in marriage. We talked about the graphic, that usually the excitement and frequency will increase in the beginning, reach the peak after sometime, and finally goes down. Sure, sex is a privelege in a marriage. It does matter, but with the bustle of life, sometimes it becomes something routine or just somekind of duty (like I know! :p)

So again, I recall that wisdom shared by my teacher.. And actually, one of my good friends here has ever expressed the same thing. She was dating her now-husband for years before they got married, and she said it was all began with friendship. And now, they enjoy being with each other not only as husband and wife but also as friends.. So sweet isn't it?

Near or Far

My knowledge about cross cultural interaction is very limited, but I often heard that culture is something which shapes someone and will remain with him wherever he is, untill someday he come accross what so called asimilation. Please correct me on this if I am wrong..

I come up with this topic because yesterday I and a bunch of friends from my country were busy making preparation for our participation in an international event here in our place. In Indonesia, working together in society is called as "gotong-royong" and is a common thing to do. Well, at least this culture is still preserved especially in small towns. When someone is having a big party to celebrate the daughter's marriage, for example, the neighbours will come voluntarily to help out. And so as when someone is having a funeral, having some gathering.. And oh, you can see this culture done more apparently during the celebration for independence day. People will work together to decorate the neighbourhood, to hold some games, and to have a big party.

I have been living by myself for quite sometime, and actually this "gotong royong" spirit in me has been fading. When I went home for a holiday and it happened to be at the same time with "gotong royong" moment, I would hesitately participated.  My mom always said that it's a good way to know our neighbours. But hey, who doesn't agree with me that working with people you know would be fun, and in contrast working with people you barely meet would need a great motivation? Especially when you have to face your neighbours' curiousity and answer their blatant questions about your boyfriend or your study or your career, or you have to hear those neighbours boasting their successful son or their newly born grandchild. Wew!!

But yesterday, I really cherished the culture. I enjoyed the moment I spent with my fellow countrymen, slicing the chicken while chatting and gossiping and teasing each other. It sent away my homesickness and loneliness and made me felt like at home.  I was thankful that somehow this "gotong royong" thing exist and still practised even though we are so far away from where this culture originated.

Source: http://www.alifmagz.com/2010/04/15/gotong-royong-demi-kebaikan-bersama/

Fureai

Fureai is a very beautiful word. In its original language, fureai is composed from two words "Fure" (of "Fureru" (触れる), to touch/contact) and "ai" (あい, a sign to show the mutuality). In English the meaning would be rapport, representing commonality of perspective, being "in sync" with, or being "on the same wavelength" as the person with whom you are talking [wikipedia]. Fureai can be applied to other forms of relationship as well, such as to nature or animal. In medical terminology, it describes the open and trustful relationship between doctors and patients.

In this world with 7,000,000,000 people living together in one planet, there are not so many people we can relate to. Even so, to some who born with natural gift of making friends, syncing with others is a piece of cake. To some other people like me however, adjusting my wavelength to other's needs a great effort. The effort worth the result though, because I am the kind of person who really enjoy the companion of the crowds.

Hard it is, but I see fureai as a beautiful art of getting to know others and letting others know us. The dynamic can be very exciting but also depressing. The key is, in my opinion, the willingness to learn, a bit of ignorance, and a taste of adventure ;p The result may not always in line with our expectation, but it is something we cannot force.

Another thing which so amazing to me about fureai with people is that sometimes we think we fail the fureai, we feel that we would never sync with some people.. But in an unexpected time and situation it turns out that those people are the ones who are with us, painting our life with the beauty of friendship. Maybe the picture below (people shadows with the scatter of sakura petals) can describe it, the fureai may not be obvious but it's there and it's so beautiful..

With that enlightment in mind, I will never give up searching for and creating the fureai..