13 - I Prefer the Different Too

I really like having different kinds of friends. There’s so much color in life if you do. Don’t you agree? And most of the time, you can get the best out of it, rather than the bad. I just try to avoid the bad.

One of favorite kind of people is the Christians. I really like being friends and working with Christians. Of course I can’t say that I like them all, personalities wise, they’re random. I particularly like them when having meals with them. Christians usually pray just before they eat. They do the whole cross thing and then say a deep prayer to the Lord before chow down. I’m usually already on my second spoon once this happens, and then I’m reminded to say Bismillah at lease before I gulp my third spoon of food.

I like being reminded like this, seeing an example and seeing that It’s been done by ease. I should be able to do the same, right? A friend of mine once dared me if I can find a better way to teach people comparing to setting as example. I was gonna say doctrine, but the aftermath of this method is never pretty. In the end, I couldn’t answer it.

Because Moslems never have this particular ritual before eating, thus we never passively remind each other to pray before meals, let alone actively. We chow down without hoping the food is kosher, is good for you and such. We’re more consistent with gratitude by saying ‘alhamdullilah’ after the burp of satisfaction.

Because I’m reminded this so many times by the Christians example, I realize that I almost never remember praying before meals. And so, I like being friends with them, at least for the sake of saying a prayer. So much for being a wannabe spiritual person!

6 – Speakable

(Man! Writing is hard, especially if you’re on a deadline. Inspiration is not something you can evoke under command. Is it true that you can train yourself to be inspired? Well I missed 2 schedule and now I’m back on track.)

It’s the fasting month and it has been 7 days since the first fast. Hmm… life isn’t much different here on Wetar during these days, there isn’t much work anyways. I can say that the nights roll faster now that we have to do the tarawih. Oh how I wish the days would too. Unfortunately, we have to break fast at 6.40 here in Wetar. It’s long summer days in the east. 

Speaking of tarawih, I’ve been thinking. During these 7 days, my co-workers, who aren’t ustadz but religion enthusiasts, have been giving the 7 minute preach, known as Kultum (Kuliah Tujuh Menit), in between prayers. And I must confess, I’m bored and I have the interest of kid to school book on a Friday night. It’s not that the message isn’t good, or useful. It’s a text book preach. And sometimes, they take it literally by reading a few pages from a book. Now, I think reading can do no harm, but we can always pick up a book ourselves and read. We don’t need someone at a podium reading it to us when we just ate a portion of rice and struggling to stay awake. We need to be inspired.

People take preaches too serious. The fact is, the best preaches or public speaking are those that have a personal touch and easy daily examples on how we can apply the holy sayings. The speaker adds that X-factor making a speech not something to just hear, but to feel thus understand. I’m full of it, aren’t I? I might be. Clearly, I am no speaker that can bring a mountain down by one sentence. But I am a good listener which makes up a good follower, which is the essence of a leader, for without followers s/he is just a common mortal.

So I’ve given it some thought, and I think I may just the muse and material for my next blog. Until 2 days!  

Due to slow internet connection, sorry, no pic today guys :(