I came back home early today and I saw my mom was busy taking care of her new kitchen renovation. I asked my mom whether she wanted to have lunch with me and she agreed, so I cooked for her and we enjoyed lunch together. During lunch she used to tell me all celebrities gossip or today news which she knew from the television. Sometimes I am too lazy to give any comment and I try so hard to connect with her topic on that day.
My house is side by side with my mom’s house and there is a connecting door in between. I went to my house and I turned my TV on and I was looking for my favorite TV serial, my daughter was still at school taking her exam. Suddenly the house was so empty for me. Do I really ready for the empty nest?
At that moment, I put myself on my mom’s shoes. Now, I understood how her feeling was; many times she has to be alone at home from morning to night and no one at home whom she could talk to. I will be as old as my mom one day, how come I can not bear with her topic sometimes. She just needs someone to talk to.
The journey of life is probably just like that. We come to this world alone and we will end up alone as well. The flashback memories came into my mind, I saw my mom when she was young she never stopped to serve the family, she has six children and some relative who stayed in our house. She woke up in the morning, she started her day with cooking, preparing the children to go to school and cleaning the house and that was her routine. She didn’t have time for herself. There was a time when her children grown up and left the house, then my dad passed away. She was shocked but she continued her life with a great spirit. She dedicated herself to look after her grandchildren. And there was at time when her grandchildren go to study abroad or outside the city. It seems she is always ready to see emptiness in her life.
Once my mom said to me,” I just want to hear my children, my grandchildren are healthy and in a good condition and I pray for them all the time” It was hard for her because many times none of the children called her and talked with her. I am the only one she has to be around her and I become the witness of her loneliness.
My mom doesn’t need to cook for many people right now, but she still serves the family. She always wakes up early in the morning and she will pray for her children, her grandchildren and her great grand children. She does every morning with love; she keeps serving the family by praying. I learn a lot from her, “To love is to serve”, and she doesn’t expect something in return.
In a couple months, I will have an empty nest. My youngest baby will go miles away from me. Will I be as strong as my mom? When no babies at home, no body to talk to …
I know it will never be easy for me. Through this notes I just want to share to my lovely daughters … I will walk on the same path that my mom did and one day both of my daughters will also be in the same phases of life. Now I understood better to my mom’s needs, I will do my best not to ignore her when she talks to me the same topic or gossips. I just know that simple call, simple note, simple conversation will add more spirit to my mom’s day. And this will be always my prayer “God, help me to be a better daughter for my mom and help me to be a better mom and a strong mom for my two lovely daughters”
I hope my daughters will keep this in their minds that I just want to hear both of my daughters are in good health and good condition where ever they are.
There is a real opportunity right now as parents and grandparents to come up with a plan that leaves our kids with something better than we have; that is, an opportunity to own, build, and grow a nest egg of their own.
Norm Coleman
**Lina Kartasasmita** Jakarta, May 14, 2011 at 11.06 AM
Friday, May 13, 2011
Thursday, May 12, 2011
“In giving and sharing”
The fact that I can plant a seed and it becomes a flower, share a bit of knowledge and it becomes another's, smile at someone and receive a smile in return, are to me continual spiritual exercises.
Leo Buscaglia
At the first time I met her, I knew that she has a wonderful personality. She has Javanese face and a very long hair. She used to work with me. The more I knew her, the more I like her simplicity in her life. When she became part of my management team, I had to mentor her to be the leader. She was worried because she was so young and inexperienced. I said,” Experience is about time. At the time you learn and walk through that phases and then you have the experiences. I started my journey from no body to be somebody. Don't make people underestimate you because of your age"
Starting that day I spent most of my time with her just only talking about philosophy of life. We discussed from the wisdom of Tao Te Ching, Confucius, Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim and Christianity. Once she asked me, "Ibu, what is the relation between the wisdom and leadership?" My answer probably was not too simple to understand, “All of this wisdom will teach you how to understand life and when you apply it in your life, you can lead by example of your own life. If you are a leader you have to remember leader means serving people, you have to be humble to be a leader. You will lead people from different background, all the wisdom has universal rules which you can apply in everyday life. You will learn how to accept and to tolerate in leadership. Leader is only a title; you don't need the title once you know how to be a leader. Leader should share and has ability to put himself or herself in other people's shoes, to lead people we have to be able to bring their best out of them. Make them following you not because of your position but make them following you because you are a good person." She listened to my explanation and she told me that she would remember that. It was my routine activities with her discuss about wisdom.
I saw her growing with a great understanding of wisdom and she applied in her life, I saw others staffs respected her as my wish. It was a time I have to go. She was so sad; she really appreciated what I have shared with her. She said she would never forget that. I said “Don’t mention it. In my life I just want to pass it on my blessing and I hope you will do the same to others “It is my happiness in life to see someone can bring their best out of them.
I believe …
“In sharing; Share your wisdom, it will make you wiser
In giving; Give yourself, it will never make you poor”
A couple days ago, one of my students posted on my Facebook wall Lina, “I truly enjoyed today's class. You have made profound changes in my life. And the wisdom and value that you have added to my life is Priceless! You are a great friend and I thank you immensely for what you have done to me!” He reminded me about all my experiences with all my staffs and my students. I hope they will pass it on whatever I have shared with them. All of that experiences are enriched my life. I called that is a value of my life.
Once we try to help people we actually help ourselves to grow, to learn and to be a better person.
Happiness... consists in giving, and in serving others.
Henry Drummond
**Lina Kartasasmita** Jakarta, 12 May 2011 at 5.25 PM
Leo Buscaglia
At the first time I met her, I knew that she has a wonderful personality. She has Javanese face and a very long hair. She used to work with me. The more I knew her, the more I like her simplicity in her life. When she became part of my management team, I had to mentor her to be the leader. She was worried because she was so young and inexperienced. I said,” Experience is about time. At the time you learn and walk through that phases and then you have the experiences. I started my journey from no body to be somebody. Don't make people underestimate you because of your age"
Starting that day I spent most of my time with her just only talking about philosophy of life. We discussed from the wisdom of Tao Te Ching, Confucius, Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim and Christianity. Once she asked me, "Ibu, what is the relation between the wisdom and leadership?" My answer probably was not too simple to understand, “All of this wisdom will teach you how to understand life and when you apply it in your life, you can lead by example of your own life. If you are a leader you have to remember leader means serving people, you have to be humble to be a leader. You will lead people from different background, all the wisdom has universal rules which you can apply in everyday life. You will learn how to accept and to tolerate in leadership. Leader is only a title; you don't need the title once you know how to be a leader. Leader should share and has ability to put himself or herself in other people's shoes, to lead people we have to be able to bring their best out of them. Make them following you not because of your position but make them following you because you are a good person." She listened to my explanation and she told me that she would remember that. It was my routine activities with her discuss about wisdom.
I saw her growing with a great understanding of wisdom and she applied in her life, I saw others staffs respected her as my wish. It was a time I have to go. She was so sad; she really appreciated what I have shared with her. She said she would never forget that. I said “Don’t mention it. In my life I just want to pass it on my blessing and I hope you will do the same to others “It is my happiness in life to see someone can bring their best out of them.
I believe …
“In sharing; Share your wisdom, it will make you wiser
In giving; Give yourself, it will never make you poor”
A couple days ago, one of my students posted on my Facebook wall Lina, “I truly enjoyed today's class. You have made profound changes in my life. And the wisdom and value that you have added to my life is Priceless! You are a great friend and I thank you immensely for what you have done to me!” He reminded me about all my experiences with all my staffs and my students. I hope they will pass it on whatever I have shared with them. All of that experiences are enriched my life. I called that is a value of my life.
Once we try to help people we actually help ourselves to grow, to learn and to be a better person.
Happiness... consists in giving, and in serving others.
Henry Drummond
**Lina Kartasasmita** Jakarta, 12 May 2011 at 5.25 PM
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