Broken Heart Is Needed To Move Forward

Nobody wants to suffer a broken heart. No one does. It feels hurt and many times makes the world looks dark and bleak.

It caused people to lose direction and feeling as they are the most lonely person in the universe.

However, learning from my own journey as a human being, a broken heart can push someone to be a better person.  It push them to move forward.


Yes, it’s hurt and often crippling.

But, it also gives us a reason and a knowledge to find a way to avoid them from suffering the same inconvenient feeling in future. It push us to think smarter, to learn more, to act faster, and to try harder.

Finally, it will give us more than what we lose.

At least, it happened to me, and many other people in the world. We learned that a broken heart is such painful experience and based on that we try to find other ways that will allow us finding our ultimate goal, happiness.

Unfortunately, many others decide to let themselves succumbed by the dark side of broken heart and just enjoy the pain inside their heart . They just pity themselves and voluntarily allow the bleak swallowed their willingness to fight.

(Note : the picture in this posting doesn’t have a relation with my writing. She is just an old friend)

Bogor, May 09th, 2020

Don’t Let Your Limitation Stop You

Bicycle Taxi, Jakarta, 2019

Everybody isn’t perfect. They have their own limitation.

For example, since I was born and raised in Indonesia, a non English speaking country, I know that I have a limitation in writing or speaking in English. English is not our mother language and at this moment, it is not yet our second language.

Therefore, I don’t have a language capability like people born and raised in a country where English is used daily, like Britain, USA, Australia, or even Singapore have.

Definitely no. Also, it is because half of the English knowledge I obtained was only from High School and also two semester when I studied at University of Indonesia majoring in Japan History. The other half was gained by reading English novel or watching movies without Indonesian subtitle.


So, yes, I admitted that I have limited English capability.

But, as you can see, this blog, the Blogopix is written in English, imperfect English. Most of writings here are like written by elementary school in USA, full of simple sentences showing lack of words I remember or my confusion about which tenses to use.

I decided to keep on writing in English, at least for my two blogs. It’s not because I don’t know my weakness, I know it 100%.

However, I found that if I follow my limitation, I will not be able to tell a bit stories about my city, a small city near Jakarta that nobody seems to ever hear . I may not be able to share my opinion to other people except the ones who can speak Indonesian.

I can’t tell to overseas people that Indonesia is not only Bali. There are many other beautiful (or bad) places with their culture and society to foreigner.

I can’t do many other things if I give up to write in English.

Don't Let Your Limitation Stop You
Bicycle taxi, Jakarta 2019

Of course, Google has been so “kind” by providing a translation tool for blogger but, honestly, it’s too far from perfect. I learned that when I write in Indonesian, then use the translation tool, the result is still a bit far from my expectation. Many translation are different from what I mean in my writing.

It’s a good tool but still needs one or two decades of continuous improvement to be able to replace a human translator.

Besides the fact, I learned that by using a translation tool, I will miss a change to extend my boundary, my limit. I will not learn how to write in English properly.

By writing by my own, I have a chance to improve my English skill, bit by bit. It takes time. It takes uncountable mistakes. However, I believe I can move forward to make my writing better.

Still, I don’t think I will be a good English writer but at least, I can present my stories about my experience, my city, my photos, in more proper English.

Most of all extend my limit. I push it away father everytime I write in English.

I will still always be a human with limitation, no doubt. But the boundary today is different from the boundary few years back. I am a bit more capable person than before and expect to become better in next few years.

It won’t happen, if I stop. the current “I” would be the same person as “me” ten years ago and will be the same person ten years from now. No change.

That’s why I will keep trying, moving forward, learning, developing. I want to push my boundary farther and farther day by day since I don’t want my future “me” the same as the current “I” today.

Bogor, May 08th, 2020

Two Sides of The Same Coin

Bogor Car Free Day. 2018

Dear Mr Jokowi, the President of The Republic of Indonesia,

Sir, this morning, in an online news site, I read that you told us, Indonesians, that we should be grateful and thankful that you chose “Social Movement Control Order” than “a Lockdown” to curb the Covid-19 outbreak.

You mentioned that people still could do their activities during the pandemic as the reason for being grateful (and maybe to give the government a credit to make a correct way).

I don’t deny your statement. There is truth inside.

However, to agree with your statement is another thing.


Your decision not to take stricter policy like a lockdown or quarantine has caused the future for us looks gloom, bleak, and uncertain.

What you chose allowed your staffs, your chosen people, to make many policy that created confusion and more uncertainty. The Ministry of Industry keep breaking the policy of Health Ministry by issuing more and more dispensation to non essential industries that should be closed. This created havoc and disturbance to the efforts being done by city and province government.

The stubbornness of your Transportation Ministry has kept the door open to the Covid-19 to find more and more host as physical distancing is actually nonsense to be applied on commuter train.

Yes, it is the result of your choice and I believe you knew it already.

Probably, just to remind you as well, that there is no signs that the pandemic starts to stop in Indonesia. No matter newspaper or media tries hard to direct our attention or to create image that the situation has been better, many still realizes that everyday, more people infected than the number of recovered patients.

This means, the spread still keeps on going.

I know probably, for you and your staffs considers it as number only, or just the “consequences” you can accept, but allow me to remind you that they are your people, Indonesian, and not just a number.

Furthermore, the uncertainty is still hanging here. Nothing is clear. Whatever prediction, you, your staffs, your experts say, the facts we see daily is on contrary. Victims are fallen daily and the number is increased.

As mentioned on the above paragraph, the daily number of infected people is still 3-4 times than the recovered people.

The situation is still gloom.

You made it. The Movement Control Orders, that your staffs break daily, is loose option. With an addition of ignorance and disobedience that Indonesians usually has, it is a perfect combination to keep the uncertainty not become a certainty. You know it.

How come such uncertainty can make us grateful?

No, I can’t.

It seems to me that you and your staffs prefer to maintain the economy rather than seriously curbing the disease. So, perhaps, you think thousands of infected Indonesians and almost a thousand death are just collateral damage from your decision, an acceptable ones. Like, one of your staff said, there is always a consequences in any taken decision.

I agreed the statement, but that means, you and your staffs have made a decision that you will accept the victims as inevitable and can be accepted.

Well, sad to know, if it’s true.

By the way, no Mr President, I am not grateful or thankful to you because you chose PSBB than other options. Not at all. To me, it’s just a safe choice because the government doesn’t want to have more burden that will disturb the budget to save the economy of Indonesia.

No, I can’t agree your today statement, you have better option but you didn’t dare to take.

Yes, I know, you are The President of Indonesia that has the power. However, it doesn’t mean that whatever you do or say is “correct”, “right”. It doesn’t make that every citizen of Indonesia must agree with you.

You may think that you have done a correct thing, it’s your right to do so, but to me, no, you can do better with the power on your hand. But, sadly, you chose to neglect the option.

There are always two sides of the same coin, my President. You can choose your side, but I can also choose mine.

And, here is mine.

Bogor, May 07th, 2020

Be Grateful For What You Have

Rice Field Terrace, Mount Salak, 2016

“Be grateful for what you have and stop complaining – it bores everybody else, does you no good, and doesn’t solve any problems ~ Zig Ziglar”

The world during Covid-19 pandemic is full of misery in all aspects of life. People suffers due to many reasons, from being infected by the disease, losing their job and income, up to loss their freedom as many countries have applied lockdown policy to curb the outbreak.
However, I really think that there is no other perfect time than now to be grateful for what we have.At least, I am still alive. This may look simplifying anything but to me, this can mean that I still have a chance to do something in future when the Corona disappears from this world, or when the vaccine is found.
Yeah, it doesn’t mean the life will be easy. it will be definitely hard in future considering the impact on many aspects of mankind’s life but as long as I still breathe, then there is still a hope .
It may not be enough for Audrey Whitlock and her compatriots but it’s enough for me. As long as there is enough food, water, electricity, and internet, I can survive through this difficult situation and will be ready to face the future.
Losing my freedom to move is a blow for me as well but I can stand, especially because I think everybody must sacrifice something to help to curb the virus spread. I am ready to sacrifice my movement freedom to contribute to the efforts.
Besides, if I whine, it won’t help anything. It won’t curb the outbreak nor it will help me and my family. So, why should I whine. Zig Ziglar is so correct about whining won’t help anyone or solve anything.
That’s why at this year of bleak and sorrow, I must be grateful for anything that I still own, my family, food, internet, my salary to pay the bill, etc.
No complaint.
Bogor, April 30th, 2020

When Food Photograph Posting Can Mean Intolerance And Disrespect

Chocolate blanketed banana, Seniman Stories 2018

I chose to post this food photograph here, not in my Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter account for one reason.

The reason is that this blog has very few visitors and since it’s written in English, then I will be safer than if I post it in my social media wall.

This is Indonesia in Ramadhan , the fasting month.

People tends to be sensitive and easily agitated, especially if they are fasting. Many of this type of people require others to respect and tolerate with them because of their religion duty.

Food photo posting in Facebook or other social media will be considered as the act of intolerance and disrespect to them.

That’s why, in normal situation, when there no Corona Pandemic, food kiosk, restaurant, or fast food counter are covered by curtain or asked to be closed. Because, some people ask other people to honor what they do for their religion.

Many persecution by mobs happened because a person might be doing something considered to be disrespectful to Ramadhan, such as opening their waroong on the middle of the day.

Many people seems to forget that Ramadhan fasting is not only about living a life without water and food for 14 hours (in Indonesia). Ramadhan, the holy month is also a month where moslem is required to strengthen their self control, patience, and also emphaty.

However, in Indonesia, many moslems think that doing fasting means they become the ones at higher level that has privilege to be respected and understood.

I chose to post these photo and my writings here. Not because I am afraid of such thing. I am a moslem myself and when I write this posting, I am still fasting.

But, I am too lazy to spend my limited energy to respond to critics or comment if I post this writing on Facebook. Many people will surely think what I do is disrespecting fasting month, even though there is no hadist supporting this, and they will fulfil my timeline with their anger and hatred.

I don’t want either to cause those people losing their temper and patience just because my food photograph posting. I feel sorry for them because it mean they get nothing, except hunger and thirst. No reward at all.

So, I decided to just write something here, a lonely and hidden blog.

Bogor, April 29th, 2020