White Eid

For some people, today is Eid. It’s a moon calculation thing, nothing is fixed. I woke up in a quiet house, not just the neighborhood. My first morning without staffs around. Contemplation time.

Ya, this is time to appreciate staffs’ existence. I got up with undone dining area. It’s exactly the condition I left last night. I collected plates, mugs, and glasses and put them in wash-basin before prepared my morning drink. Chiko made a mess. He roamed trash bin. Grr. I turned off all lamps and started my morning.

Like a new year’s resolution, I decided to make a new commitment. It’s personal but I don’t focus on myself, more on my relationship with my surroundings; place and people. Simple but not easy to carry out. A commitment to becoming more aware in every aspect of my life.

The idea just popped up. I need a time mark to improve self. New year is one, birthday is another, and Eid can be another one. If more coming, then I can improve myself more often. Like I don’t need time mark anymore.

So what’s so special about ‘becoming more aware’. Ya, I want to combine my actions with thoughts, emotions, speech, and lifestyle to begin to change. Hm. Eid sentimentality.

No more theories. I show you what I did. I replied to all Eid texts. It’s tiring and time consuming yes, but I want to send only personalized reply. Many people sent me ‘second-hand greetings’ like taken from Hallmark or Yahoo E-card, similar (some even same) messages. My reply doesn’t have to be long and full of meaningful message but it’s authentic me and us (the recipient and me). That’s how I want to show my ‘awareness’. In the past I liked to ‘cheat’. I had one message template, I personalized it with typing the recipient's name before the message. Looks good tho still second-hand. Not this Eid. I improve.

I wrote many personalized emails too to long-time-no-see-close-friends in many countries (even some in Jakarta). Four short paragraphs are enough. How are you, I’m busy with what, how I spend this Eid, please-catch-up closing. It covers all, ya? Same procedure will be done in end of the year for close and non-Moslem friends (twice the Eid list). Think of the idea, we only need at least twice a year to spare 2 minutes to each person we care. I spent less than an hour to write some ten emails. Replying a text is done right upon receiving a text – 30 seconds each. Delay creates burden (ha ha look who’s talking).

Not a bad start. My next step is try to engage in right action by integrating mind, body, and spirit. My weakness is.. sometimes I got easily ‘provoked’ by my cousins to start an ‘empty’ joke especially when starting to feel comfortable. Not that I want to be serious but most of the times -- in retrospect -- I could have said nicer and less ‘attacking’ jokes. Haa. The result of thinking too quickly and noti ;-) That would be my homework then -- to fight against 'provoking' jokes.

Ah enough about serious thing on Eid. I’m happy with my choice not to travel this Eid and to spend time at home (working and contemplating). Most of all, I appreciate my staffs :-)