ESL Blogs

Last week, I met my old friend from the previous company. It was likely small reunion that we arranged spontaneously. In the past we often did hanging out, having dinner or lunch and social activities sometimes. At that time we had dinner together in the mall nearby my place. It was wonderful, it was not because the place or the food but the valued messages that I got from her story.

During the dinner we talked about many things. Just information she is an engineer besides has the side job as the lecture at the private university in Jakarta. The talking was flowing naturally until she told me when she involved in the educational activities called “Kelas Inspirasi” (Inspiration class) in the city nearby Jakarta, an old women came to her and said “ You must be Ochi (my friend’s name)” and my friend nodded her head as a sign of confirmation. The old lady continued with her words “You could forget about me, but I cannot. Do you remember my son’s name? He is Agus and right now he is only waiting time to depart to Netherland taking his Master in Machine Engineering”. My friend couldn’t say nothing and got surprised and puzzled as well with her explanation. She kept talking “Do you know Ochi that what he got right now because of you, you has inspired him to be an engineer and with the book that you gave to him making him interested in the engineering world and eagerly to reach his dream.” My friend just couldn’t say anything just imagining how come only through the book that she gave to the old lady’s son could bring someone to get his dream. 

Unfortunately the story not stop at that part, it has continuation. My friend adores the old woman as well. Ochi told me that the lady is one of the inspiring people in Indonesia. The lady has built a library in her village and it has been developing with more than hundreds of books which coming from herself or donations from volunteer. The surprised thing is that she was not well educated person, she only graduated from elementary school and not from the rich family. At that time she was a “jamu” seller, “jamu” is a herbal drink to cure the light disease and it can increase our stamina as well. But the point that I want to show is her vision. She has the goal to develop her village to become advanced and insightful with reading activities. The limited of fund and her restrictions couldn’t make her to give up to achieve her goals. It was proved by her ideas to bring all the books during selling the jamu taking by bicycle. Those books were derived from hers at that time. With the passage of time, she has been harvesting what she has planted since long time ago. Right now her village has become the pilot village of literacy. The bicycle which is a witness of her struggle during that time displaying on the wall in her library room.

Could you imagine that? I was so impressed with the lady, because I realize who I am. I may say that I have education beyond her but I haven’t had couragement and visions as big as hers to bring goodness in my environment. I envy her so much, I want to be like her buuut……so many reasons from myself that hinder me to do something for my neighborhood.

From my story above, there are two morale messages that I want to present to the readers here.

1. The trivial deeds that we do sincerely and often times we ignore it, could be an inspiring and encouragement things for others. So, keep do the good things around you, even though you will never know the sincere smiles that you give for other could motivate them without you realize.
2. Doing good things are not always waiting us capable. It is only the matter of wanting to do and having a will.  The will power must come first and then it can motivate us to do something forward that could enlighten or bring a goodness around us. The will power can make impossibility to become possibility. 

If you have different point of views about the moral messages with mine or having the similar story as mine, you can share here as well and I would thank you for dropping by and reading my story. I wish your kindness to also correct my writing as my learning of English. Enjoy!