The remoteness of Cranfield University (as I described in a previous writing) is sometimes very daunting. In the beginning, excitement that pervades the activity, but through time the feeling of homesick emerges. Fortunately, at least once in a week, scholars from Indonesia gathers to have dinner together. We share stories, jokes, experiences, plans, etc.
The place we usually use for dinner is a Chinese restaurant at the campus. The owner is a flamboyant old man came from Penang, Malaysia. We call him Uncle Lim, that also become the name of the restaurant. Even though the taste of the foods do not resemble completely Indonesian's flavors, it is enough to cure homesickness.
One of the uniqueness of having dinner there, when we finish our meal, Uncle Lim always presents us fortune cookies. Fortune cookies is a crackers in a form of shell that is wrapped in red metallic packing. Inside the shell there is a piece of paper with wisdom words on it. While sometimes my friends got silly wisdom, I in contrary keep getting words that spot on the situation I face. that is the reason I am collecting those piece of paper. Here I share several wisdom I got from the cookies.
"Keep your feet on the ground, even though your friends flatter you."
I got that just several days after I was praised for this writing. I was lucky to be reminded that the acknowledgements I got was the challenge to keep learning. I knew that one good appreciation in the beginning was not the evidence of my quality on this. I still have a long journey to the stage where my writing come into maturity.
"Our greatest glory consists not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall."
These words of wisdom came when I felt very bored. I decided to spent Christmas holiday at my campus to work on my tasks. However, instead of completing the task, boredom brought me to inexcusable laziness. When I got the piece of paper with those words, I realized that the laziness was my downfall. Then I decided to quit from it.
"Snowflakes one of nature's most fragile things, but just look at what they can do when they stick together."
For this one, it came when I read so many discouraging news about Indonesia. I felt very weak as I barely could do nothing. But the words reminded me that I could not bring changes if I was alone. But how to make changes together? Perhaps, what I could do was to keep writing and sharing my thougt.
"Knowing other is wisdom, knowing yourself is enlightenment."
I like this very much. This is a wisdom that I think can perfectly depict my opinion about myself.
"Kindness and honesty can only be expected from the strong."
Again, this is just exactly I need. These series of words remind me to keep strong. Because when I am strong the best quality of mine will occurs. Kindness and honesty, they are two things that I believe if I keep preserving it, God will preserve me.
"Victory belongs to the most persevering."
I was reminded to keep my rhythm on completing my PhD program. Small continuing progress is better than trying to catch up everything in the end. I understand, there are consequences for this choice as in most cases I am a sprinter. However, I realize that a three-year program is not suitable for this method. In the case of my PhD, it seem I need to be a marathon runner instead. To be persevering in small pace, I am really not into it, but as I have decided to pursue the degree I will do it. In-sha Allah, I am ready to face any consequences accompanying this decision.
In the latter part of this writing, I want to express my gratefulness to Allah The Almighty for keep communicating with me by the words on those small pieces of paper. Every time, He remembers me even though often I do not notice or even sometime show my indifference. Astaghfirullah walhamdulillah....
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| Your fortune cookie? |
(Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Fortune_cookie_broken_20040628_223252_1.jpg, accessed: 29 January 2014)
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