Please keep doing it

It was June 1, 2011 Graduation day of class 2011 where I was there for my youngest daughter. The room was full with parents and teachers. My husband and I got a chance to give speech to represent parents.

The ceremony started with all students came into the room; they looked so beautiful and handsome with national dress “Kebaya” and “Batik”. 

The ceremony began with the national anthem and some other things. Then they introduced us. I hold my husband’s hand and we walked to the stage to deliver the speech.  I wrote the speech in English and Indonesian language. My husband read the English version and I did in Indonesian language  

Standing on the stage, I remembered my wish in 2010 on graduation day for my eldest daughter.  I wished I could give a speech in front of my daughters. And a year later, my wish came true.  First lesson on that day for me was “I should always be positive and wish a good thing happen in my life”

The day became more special actually because when they gave an award. The awards named after a teacher “Virna Tumengkol award”.

“This award is therefore presented annually to a student who demonstrates clear servant leadership expressed through: Love Joy Peace Patience Kindness Goodness Faithfulness Gentleness Self-Control (Galatians 5: 22-23) “

They called my daughter name, “Devita Gunawan”.  With teary eyes, I said to my husband, "I know she will get it, she deserves to get it" 

This was a second lesson on that day.

In a mother's heart, I believe the best award for a mother is when she knows she has already raised good children.

Third lesson on that day was after the graduation, we had time to meet other parents and teachers. Some of the teachers and school staffs came to me and congratulated me. Some of them gave comments about my daughters, "You have two amazing daughters, both are really special" It reminded me back in 2009 when some of their teachers said to me, "Thank you for sharing your wonderful children with us"

As parents I will always be proud, to know my children got several academic awards. However the happiness and proudness is even more when people recognize their kindness.

Their character is more important than grades in their school report.

This note has been in my computer for almost two years. Today I really want to finish this note for my youngest daughter. She shared that her professor said to her, "If you can do good thing to help other people, it will be the great present for me"

I said to her, "You have done it. You just need to keep doing it"

I believe both of my daughters know..." being smart is one thing, being a good person is everything”

Thank you girls, mommy loves you!

**Lina Kartasasmita** at 7.32PM October 4, 2013 

A thousand miles in summer 2013

“ The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step” Lao Tzu

The journey of being a mother, it started since the baby was in the mother’s womb.  And I am blessed to have the opportunity to be a mother.  I have two lovely daughters who actually bring me to a journey for a thousand miles.

It was summer time in 2013; arrived at Charles de Gaulle- Paris airport around 8 PM, Devina and I were a little bit tired. The weather wasn’t like summer; it was so cold and gloomy. We went directly to the hotel. The hotel was very small in the middle of Paris. Three days in Paris, we planed to visit some famous landmarks.

The journey was not for holiday actually, the purpose was to accompany my daughter to her summer program in Pau- France.  Some of my friends asked me, “ Your daughter is 21 years already. Why you have to accompany her? You just make an excuse to visit Paris” I visited Paris with my mother 23 years ago and I think Paris didn’t change as much as my daughters. Children grow so fast and they change in many ways. I just don’t want to miss it. Definitely there will be a time when I could not be with them. What money can buy in this world? Money can buy the watch but not "time". I prefer to spend the money to build memories with my children.

When we walked together under the rain in Paris from one place to another place, I hold my daughter’s hand. It brought me to a memory when she was about one year old. She would grab my hand before she tried to walk. Now I am the one who grabbed her hand to walk with her. With the background “Eifel tower” I could see how tall she is now… how beautiful her smile. Each step that I walked with her was counted. Walking under the rain with a broken umbrella, we felt the cold.  And the pasta we ate or a cup of coffee that we drank together.  We collected those memories and we recalled our memories back one by one, as the steps we took.

A thousand miles … is a thousand memories for me.

The journey continued to a small city Pau, it is beautiful. I spent time walking in the morning with my daughter to her school and returned back to the apartment hotel. It was so true; she is a young lady now. I watched when she walked alone. My heart told me, “Look, your baby is walking by herself to reach her dream …” Time was so precious just to look what we have passed in life. Sometimes we don’t have time to admire or enjoy the present at that moment.  The time seemed to slow down in Pau; it gave me more time to do the reflection of bringing up my daughters.

Out of sudden I got the text, “Lina, why don’t you shop in France, buy the famous designer bag there” It hit my head. Yes I saw many people got out from the famous boutique and with a wide smile in their face they brought their new treasure in their hand.  They were happy, I thought, but the happiness will last as soon as the new design comes out. Did I want a short happiness like that ?

I am just a simple person, for sure my hand could hold the designer handbag and I could proudly walk around.  However the proud is only   for the price and the designer brand.  What I wanted in my life, was simple, I wanted to walk many thousand miles more with my daughters… I wish I could spend the money for holding their hands and I could enjoy witnessing their beautiful heart in their life.

I might forget what my dad had bought for me in my life, for sure I never forget that I walked with him in the cities we visited and those memories are so real in my life. All always repeat every time I visit the places. The memories and his wisdom are still alive in me.

I will walk a thousand miles more … and more… with my daughters ...until I cannot walk anymore.

**Lina Kartasasmita** at 3.57 PM October 3, 2013