Turn it Off

It was 7 a.m., the first day I entered the classroom in this academic year. I met the students who attended my class the previous year. There was nothing to be introduced as we had known one another. The classroom and its decoration did not change, only the wall had been repainted. We were all ready to start all academic and non-academic activities.

That morning felt hotter than usual. I thought of the air conditioner, maybe it needed a maintenance, or we needed to set the temperature or other settings so that it felt colder. I asked a volunteer to set the temperature. All students replied that we had to turn it off in the first and second periods. We could just open the windows.

We could turn it on at 8.30. Oops...sorry...I didn't know well about this new policy. Finally I found that this policy was made to support an environment-friendly school program.

This condition happens everyday. So far, for about three weeks the students have tried to adapt themselves to this condition. To my surprise, this morning when we were discussing about turning off the air conditioners, a student asked me. She asked,"How about the air conditioners in the teachers' room? Do you turn them off, too?" Oops! I never thought about it...about the air conditioners in the teachers' room, in the administration room, and maybe in the principal's room. As I know, The air conditioners in the teachers' room had been turned on in the morning before the teachers come. The office boys usually come earlier and turn them on.

Dear students, I'm so sorry about this. Tomorrow I will remind my colleagues to look back at this policy.
Dear teachers, let's teach with heart. When our hearts don't want to do it, why we ask our children to do it? Let's do it first with all our hearts, then our children will follow. Hmmm...it leads me to a saying 'monkey see monkey do'...huahahaha....

Taken but Uneaten

To celebrate Independence Day, we usually have a special flag ceremony. It is special...because we don't hold it in our own unit only, but four units from kindergarten to high schools attend the ceremony. In the last four years, our school has been in charge of being the flag raisers. This year is different. We are in charge of being the choir to accompany the ceremony. 

Since the ceremony would be held in the football court, I think about the bigger choir...not only 20 to 30 singers...but I have also set the limit...not more than 60. For a week, I opened the registration for those who wanted to join the choir. Some students who were the flag raisers before asked me if they could join the choir..and I said yes. After reaching 60 students joining the choir, I closed the registration although there were still some students who wanted to. 

My team and I had planned the schedule of the rehearsal. We had only 7 times rehearsal...and we had to leave the classes for it. At the first day of the rehearsal, a group of students quitted the choir. They told me they couldn't attend the rehearsals. I explained to them that they had taken the seats and left them while other students who wanted to get the seats had lost them. Finally, after seeing the value that I explained, some of them took the responsibility to join the choir, but the ones who had joined the flag raisers before went on quitting. 

Now the choir has less singers than it should be. No problem...when the singers are all responsible for what they have chosen. 
Don't ever take the food and leave it uneaten while others hunger for it.

Doormat

Early in the morning I woke up and I went to the toilet. Then after doing anything, I took a bath. Then before I went to work, I went to the toilet once again. That morning went as usual, I felt nothing wrong. I usually go to the bathroom at least three times in the morning before going out of my house.

I went home late that day. I parked my car and entered the house. As usual, I took off my shoes and socks, and went to the bathroom to wash my feet. I can't go to my room and lay down on my bed without washing my feet. It felt like I brought any dirt to my bed. 
Something strange happened when I wanted to go out of the bathroom. The doormat disappeared. Somebody must have taken or moved it. Consequently, I had to walk on the floor with my wet feet...uuuhh.... I didn't like that situation. It wasn't so important, but it was annoying.

Doormat. Its role is never recognised when it is there in the right place, but when it is taken away from its place, it's terrible. People will look for the doormat if it isn't at its place.
When doormat is in front of the bathroom, people will recognise the look of the door and its handle. When doormat is in front the house, people will admire the architecture of the house or pay attention to the paint or the material of the front door. Doormat is usually made in simple design...and people never recognise and admire it.

Are you a doormat in your community? 
Perhaps your role is unseen and no one realises that you are important.
When you do your job well...when you responsibly play your own role...then other people will really look for you in your absence.

Something Sweet

The final tests were over. The academic year would end soon. All students were curious to see the result. But they couldn't see the result of their work through the year so soon. The teachers were processing the scores of all tests and assignments.

As usual, after the final tests, before the students received the report card, they didn't have any class. They spent the days by doing non-academic activities, such as social activities and sports competition.

In this year-end, they almost forgot something. They remembered that they still kept some class-cash. They were confused how to spend the money because they only had two days left to meet their classmates. They discussed...they had arguments about what they will do with the money.
Finally, most of them agreed to buy some food or drink, and enjoy it together in a small party with their classmates.

That day I entered the teachers' room. I saw some nice boxes on the table in the corner of the room. What's this? Boxes of donuts! For me, donut was something sweet...so it led me to think that it must be a sweet gift. Eventually, I found that the donuts were from the students of 8A.... They spent their class-cash to buy donuts for the teachers...so wow!

When others thought about spending the class-cash for themselves, they thought about devoting it to their teachers. 
When others focus on themselves, you focus on sharing what you have to others. 
Thanks a lot...you're the winners...you've won our hearts. 
It's something sweet!

Fast Track

It was a nice Sunday in April. We - especially the children - had waited that Sunday for a few weeks. We were excited. We were going together...to the adventure theme park. Yes...we would have an adventure.

We set off from school and had about 2 hours travelling by bus until we arrived at the adventure theme park. We were really happy and curious about what rides we could enjoy. After we got the ticket, we entered the park. The children wanted to ride many kinds of rides. 

Yet, it was Sunday, there were so many people going there. As a result, to enjoy the Snake-Coaster the children had to queue up for about 30 minutes. Then we moved to Mega-Drop. There was a long queue at the gate. We tried to be patient. Suddenly, there were some children who went through a different gate. The park management called it 'Fast Track'. What happened there? Some children went through the Fast Track gate and they didn't need to queue up as long as the other visitors. They just waited for about 5 minutes and then they could enjoy the ride soon. After wondering for a while, we found that there was an additional ticket sold as Fast Track ticket, so that those who held the ticket could go without queuing up. We found Fast Track Gate in almost all rides. 
If you've got more money, you can buy Fast Track ticket...if you've got no more money, you queue up!

Is this a kind of bribery??
Teachers and parents, why don't you use this opportunity to teach your children how to fight and survive? 
I still believe that there are noble values in queuing up....

School Monsters

Monsters are everywhere. In the jungles, in the mountains, in the countries, in the cities...and even at the schools.

In the last six months, the students in this school have been talking about some monsters. They have been scared. They can't do anything when the monsters come. The monsters can do anything they want. Some of the students have even been so stressed for this horrible situation. 

The students had given up as they couldn't beat the monsters. They couldn't understand what the monsters wanted. Their marks drastically dropped. They couldn't change the monsters into kind and friendly creatures. They gave up. Eventually, they reported about the monsters to their parents...and then...the parents came to this school, seeing the principal and the homeroom teachers to report the fear that the monsters had caused. 

The 'principal' said, "A few years ago, those monsters came to this school. They applied to make a living here. Then we accepted some of them. We have trained them well. But the results are not exactly the same since they came from different habitats and backgrounds."

Then the 'principal' told he students, "You are lucky. You're in a good school now. At home, your parents spoil you. Every problem you face is solved by your parents. Now..here in this school...the monsters train you how to survive and be tough. The monsters have different characteristics. Some of them like to treat you as you wish...give you what you like. On the other side, you cannot drive other monsters as you want. They make you taste the difficulties in life. If you can't change the monsters, change yourself...change your manner...change your way of thinking about these monsters." 
The monsters won't kill you...and everything that makes you feel difficult but it doesn't kill you, it will make you stronger.

Culicidae

It was hot that night. It was dry. We had no rain for a few months. I was working on my laptop. I had some work to do and I needed to focus on my work. The weather was not friendly to me. I felt like diving into the swimming pool was a need instead of working on the laptop.

Hot weather that night annoyed me perfectly because it was supported by a troop of mosquitoes (Culicidae). I didn't know when they came and started to bite any parts of my body. I had to wave my hands and move my body to prevent them biting me. They were all female. You know, only female mosquitoes bite us as the female ones require meals of blood in order to develop and lay eggs. They attacked me brutally and I had to defend. I couldn't do my work quickly because of the disturbers.

After working uncomfortably for a few minutes, I slowly focused more and more on my work than on the disturbers. And finally, I could finish my work more quickly than I thought since I had decided not to care too much about the hot weather and mosquitoes.

In life, we often care too much about the distractors. We often blame anything that disturbs our work or goal. And we forget our goal. But being annoyed or not is our choice. So choose. Being annoyed...or focus on our goal.

A Simple Surprise

Exams always make the students tired. Tired of preparing. In the last grade of the school, my 9th grade students had some series of exhausting exams. And they did it well. After the exams, they had no more classroom activities. They would come to school only for having the graduation rehearsal and having some photo session for the year book. So when they did not have to go to school, they just stayed at home or spending their leisure time with their friends.

That day, some students went to school to do a special action for their teachers. They had planned, they prepared what they should  bring and do. They asked some friends to join. Some joined but some refused because they would go to the amusement park with their friends. Some refused because they had another activities with their family. Some refused because they were not interested and chose to stay at home.

These students came to school in the morning. They arrived at the time they usually arrived to school. They brought some washing equipment. Yes...they came to wash the cars and motorcycles of their teachers. The teachers and school staff were surprised and gave positive response. They let the students wash their cars and motorcycles. Getting good response, the students were happy...and they did their job cheerfully.

That day was a special day for the teachers and staff. They felt being loved and respected. They were thankful to have such students who cared about them. The students said to me,"There's no present we could give. Only this...just to express that we thank the teachers for teaching us."

Simple thing...and cheap...and not prestigious, when it is done with great love, can please others.
Instead of pleasing themselves, they have chosen the more difficult choice...to please others.
Thank you so much...we're proud of you....

Eat Less, Share More

The students in our school were so enthusiastic. They were celebrating The World Food Day. 

In our school, The World Food Day is celebrated to heighten public awareness of the problem of hunger in the world and strengthen the solidarity for the people who cannot have food as we have.

On that day, the students had a competition of arranging and decorating traditional food from Indonesia. Then they would have lunch together in their own class. Every class had to prepare a kind of traditional food to be eaten together. I walked around, from one class to another, and was glad to see the students preparing the food on the table. They had changed the studying tables into dining tables and they had arranged the food nicely. 

Five students of one class were doing the final preparation. They were arranging the Balinese food completed with certain ornaments about Bali. It was very nice. A few minutes later, they finished. Then, they invited their classmates to come into the classroom. No need to take a long time, they prayed together and started eating. Meanwhile, their homeroom teacher was outside the classroom, having a talk with another teacher. The students focused on their lunch and their togetherness. They didn't care about other people around them. After some time having a talk, the homeroom teacher went away, not coming into the classroom. 

On the way he was going, some students from another class offered him to have lunch with them.

Sometimes, some work and some fail. 

Some classes reached the goal, some classes failed. 

Some classes succeeded to strengthen the solidarity for people around them, while some classes failed.

Some classes remembered people around them when they had got food to eat, while some classes focus on the food for themselves.

For you who have succeeded, congratulations! Keep giving more, taking less. I'm proud of you.

A Little Gift

It was Sunday Evening. Kinar asked me to take her to the stationery.

In her ballet course, the teacher taught the students to give a present to their friends on their birthday. She taught them to give little attention, to care for others. She suggested the students to bring a little gift, less than IDR 25,000. That was the reason why Kinar wanted to go to stationery. She wanted to buy some gift for Tasya, her ballet-mate.

Kinar loves being given a present. She thinks that all people likes to have a present from friends or relatives. On Kinar's birthday, none of her ballet-mates gave her a present. Only the teacher gave it to her. The teacher had reminded her friends about her birthday, but no one remembered to bring any gift. That's why she really wanted to buy some gift for Tasya. She said,"I was sad when no one remembered my birthday. Tasya must be happy if I remembered her birthday and I give her a present."

Being disappointed is not a good feeling. But Kinar didn't want her friend to have the disappointing experience like how she had ever felt.

Let your disappointment remind you not to disappoint others.

Incident

Katrin is a generous woman. She likes giving and sharing what she has to others.

About two months ago, Katrin went to the market to buy some meat and vegetables. She went there by motorcycle. She brought a small purse with some money in it. After buying what she needed, she walked to a parking lot where she parked her motorcycle. She was anxious as she couldn't find any money left in her purse and pocket. She needed only IDR 2,000 to bring the motorcycle out of the parking lot, but she had no money at all. She didn't bring the motorcycle document, either. She went in to the market, wishing to meet someone she had known so that she could owe any money. But...no one could help her. 

Then Katrin went out of the parking lot without the motorcycle. She needed to take some IDR 2,000 at home and go back to the market to "free" the motorcycle. Incidentally, she met Engkong (sorry...I don't know his real name), a becak driver in the area. Engkong works as a becak driver - and a becak driver earns little money. It had been a long time for Engkong not to drive her going anywhere. Then...you can guess...she went home by Engkong's becak. On the way, Engkong told her that his life was getting worse since there had been many online-ojeks. You can also guess what happened next. Katrin paid the fare much more than it should be. She was a blessing for Engkong.

Today, Katrin didn't go to work. She was ill. In the evening, she went to the doctor, not far from her house. Entering the clinic, someone came to her. Engkong! Engkong was ill, too. Then, Engkong was called to go into the doctor's room. Going out for the room, the administration staff told him to pay IDR 150,000 for the treatment and medicine. And Katrin paid it.

I do believe...really believe that it's God's work.
God planned those incidents - losing the money and being ill. God had worked on Engkong's life through Katrin's incidents. God had made these so Katrin could meet Engkong and helped him. Katrin's incidents are blessings for someone else.

And I do believe...that tomorrow Katrin will get well, because she has accomplish the mission.

Be thankful since God loves you. As He has done to Engkong, He never lets you tumble.
And be thankful since God makes you a saviour - like Katrin - for others.


becak = tricycle rickshaw moved by man's power, not by engine
ojek = public transportation using motorcycle

Not Far

A few weeks ago we had a trip to the Island of Gods. It was a nice experience after more than 20 years not visiting the island. There are many new tourism objects that I haven't seen before. I felt like visiting a new paradise.

We went to the objects by bus as one is far from another. At night, we went around on foot.

One evening, Dian, my colleague ask me to go around with her. "How do we go there?" I asked. "On foot," she replied. "How far?" "Just near where we are now,"

Another evening, some colleagues and I planned to go to a beach. "How far?" I asked. Biso, one of us, answered,"Look! Only 300 metres"

Everyday on the bus, when I asked the tour guide, Mbok Dewi, about the distance of the next destination, she always said,"10 minutes from the first traffic light."
I tried to think...and found...that they had taught me about this: 
How far we go, just do it step by step. 'Near' by 'near', The first 300 metres...the second 300 metres...the third 300 metres.... Or the first traffic light...the second traffic light...the third one...and so forth until we reach the destination.
Thanks a lot for this simple lesson of life, my brother and sisters. Thanks for sharing a positive energy. :)

A Simple Good Morning

Not everyday, but I often take my children and their mom to school. Their mom works at their school. To save my time, I usually drop them off not in front of the school, but in front of the cluster. Then they walk. Everytime they walk past the security officers, my wife greets them - just a simple 'good morning'. They just nodded at first. Then, to reply my wife's greeting they smiled. After some greetings, they replied by nodding, smiling and saying good morning.

People learn from what they see, they hear and they feel.
When they can see, hear and feel that they are respected, they also learn how to show and give respect.
Let's DO it, not only tell it. Share your positive energy to others.

Park Here!

Today I went to the hospital where my sister-in-law has been lying for two days. I took her mom and sister there to visit her. But this is not about them. 

After my wife and my mother-in-law got off the car in front of the lobby, I drove it to the parking lot to find a space for Greeny - my car. It was the peak hour. I knew this very well as I often went there to visit some relatives or friends. Many people couldn't find a space to park their cars. Neither did I.

I drove around and finally I passed the lobby. I went on driving around to a different area of the parking lot, and I saw a car came out of a space. I drove faster to reach the space that had just been left. Unfortunately, a car from the opposite came faster to the space...smoothly. Ouch! I wanted to be angry but I tried to control myself. I thought that being angry couldn't help me find the space for my car. I sent a text to my wife, "Maybe I've got to wait in the running-around car as I can't park my car.... Please tell me when you have come out to the lobby." I was just waiting for my fortune.

Again...I passed the lobby.This was the third time I saw it. And I had to drive around again. I tried another area of the parking lot. Again! I passed the lobby for the fourth time!

After passing the lobby, not far from that place, right in front of my car, suddenly a car came out and left a space. And when I saw behind me, there was no car. Then I could freely park Greeny at that space, not far from the lobby, like a VIP!

God loves you. When He doesn't give you the thing that you think is good, believe Him that He will give you the better one. God is also there...in the parking lot with me... :)

Believe Him...and give your problem to Him to solve it His way!

When My Mom Said No

Years ago, when I had to study in a high school, I decided to enter a school in another town. I lived in a rent room. I had no means of transportation. Everywhere I go, I had to take a public transportation, or a friend of mine took me to the places.

Once, I needed to go to many places as I had a project. I needed a motorcycle. To ask my mom to buy a motorcycle was impossible since we did not have enough money to buy it. To borrow from my friends, they also needed it. 

My family - my mom and I - had a motorcycle. It was in my mom's house and my mom usually rode it to go to work. Because I really needed it, I went home and asked my mom, "Mom, I really need a motorcycle to finish my project on time. Will you use it much next week?" She surely answered, "No." "Will I make a trouble if I take the motorcycle?" And without any doubt she smiled and replied, "No." And then I used the motorcycle. While I was using the motorcycle, my mom went to work by bicycle. The place where she worked was not so far from our house, but it took three times longer to reach there by bike.

Today, after years, I realize that she did anything for me. When I needed the motorcycle, she would ride a bike and chose to give the motorcycle to me.

Have you ever thought...that when your mom has a little food and then you cry for it, she will give it to you...and she will eat nothing? Have you ever thought that when she has a little money and you need it...she will give it all to you? Have you ever thought that she thinks about you more than about herself?

Thank you, Mom! I love you!