Notes from a return

20 September 2025

It’s been a while since I last wrote. Maybe it’s because during spring and summer, I just wanted to be outside. Walking more, doing more, feeling the sunshine on my skin. I kept thinking about writing a blog post, but then I’d tell myself: writing is a winter activity. Something about grey skies and cold air makes you want to retreat and reflect.

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#KaburAjaDulu: Is Leaving Always the Answer?

The hashtag #KaburAjaDulu has been circulating a lot: an idea that leaving Indonesia is the best way to escape instability, corruption, and economic uncertainty. Many in the diaspora paint a romanticized picture of life abroad: stronger currency, better infrastructure, cleaner air, efficient public transport.

I used to think that too. Until I left.

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Learning to Listen in a World That Talks Too Much

Lately, I’ve been experiencing something completely new to me: feeling overwhelmed when people speak simultaneously. It’s a sensation I never really noticed before. At first, it just annoyed me. Now, it feels suffocating, as if I can’t breathe in those moments.

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How Do You Know If Something Is Meant To Be?

Lately I’ve been wondering about the term “Destiny” a lot. How do you know if something destined to be yours? Or not? How do you know whether God is testing your decision or He actually says no? We’ve been told that every human being already has their own destiny since the very beginning of their life. At one point, this destiny-thingy made me calm and believe in my own future. However, most of the time it got me worried about the future too much. Can’t God just bluntly giving Yes/No sign? Life would be so much easier, right?

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Suatu Sore

Dalam suatu kesempatan, akhirnya saya bisa menyendiri. Melalu minggu-minggu yang terlampau sesak membuat saya kekurangan waktu untuk berkencan dengan diri sendiri. Selagi menikmati sore, saya menyapukan pandangan ke sekeliling. Banyak anak muda sepantaran saya sedang bersenda gurau dengan kawan-kawannya. Seperti yang saya lalukan beberapa tahun lalu dengan kawan-kawan saya. Energi mereka meluap, menciprat ke saya. Usia saya dan mereka tidak terlampau jauh. Namun saya rasa eksitasi diri ini sudah menurun drastis. Kehilangan daya. Saya terlampau cepat soak. Tolong.

Fear of The Unknown

Manusia memiliki ketakutan akan ketidaktahuan, ketidakjelasan, sesuatu yang asing, dan yang baru setitik informasi dapat diperoleh darinya. Ada dorongan untuk menemukan penjelasan akan itu semua. Nenek moyang kita yang belum memiliki pengetahuan mencoba berbagai cara untuk menemukan jawaban dari berbagai hal yang ada di sekitar mereka. Misalnya saja alasan dibalik terbentuknya petir.  Continue reading “Fear of The Unknown”

Take It Slow

We’re just ordinary people
We don’t know which way to go
‘Cause we’re ordinary people
Maybe we should take it slow – Ordinary People by John Legend

Dalam setiap ketergesaan yang kita jalani, ketidaktahuan arah yang seharusnya dituju, akan ada satu titik di mana kita terdiam dan berkata bahwa semuanya akan baik-baik saja. Pegang keyakinan itu, maka jalan yang tadinya temaram akan memunculkan pelita yang menuntunmu ke tujuan.