Life is by Design

F.R.I.E.N.D.S

part I

People are blessed when surrounded by loving people. I think that's what I felt recently. Reflecting back 3 years ago, I was just a freshgrad ready to tackle the real life as a shakai-jin. Well let's talk about this term a little bit because I'm always enchanted with Japanese culture. In Japanese Shakaijin has a profound meaning. Shakaijin (社会人). Shakai literally means Society, while the ending Jin refers to a person. So litterally Shakai Jin is a person of society. In a broad meaning, shakai jin is someone who is considered to be a part of a society. But why this is so important or exist only in Japanese society? aren't we a part of society already when we were born? The answer is no, according to Japanese culture. Shakaijin has more profound meaning. The Japanese will start addressing you as Shakaijin only when you start working and starting your independent life. Because only by that beginning part of your life, me and probably you feel that we have to work out ourselves leaving our parents home behind. Or you still live with your parents that's okey too but it doesn't leave the meaning that when you have started working, you have to struggle for life. 

Okey let's go back to 3 years ago, you must be familiar with freshgrad's part-time jobs aren't you? Surfing the internet, looking for available jobs online, attending job fairs, multiple interviews, travelling abroad (if your parents are rich, which is not my case), marathoning Korean drama (Boys Before Flowers, Gumiho, etc), and a lot a lot more. Makes a jobless freshgrad looks busy :) This time of life, I spent my parents' money more than I used to. Sorry mom n dad. I had multiple interviews and test in and out of town. Actually I was working in HPM by that time already, but I quit. Can't tell you the reason why now, but I'll cover it in my next post. I had to go to Tokyo attending job interviews, when my parents are away going for Hajj. So apparently no one is looking over my spending. For all interviews and tests I had, there are 2 companies I wish I had accepted. One is Telkomsel, and the other one is Pertamina. Well and 3 actually, the last is Mitsubishi Japan. First, I dropped my chance at Telkomsel because at the same time I have to go back to Japan for my final interview and presentation, which I failed at last. Then my hope is to be accepted in Pertamina. But God says the other way, there is one company I don't have interested in at all, sending me acceptance letter through email before hearing anything from Pertamina. Telkom Indonesia. A surprising call from Mecca that evening hearing my parents since forever, to me when I actually feeling devastated. I never told my parents I was accepted in Telkom, I mean I never even expect that!

The one you wish, sometimes is not the best for you.

But now here I am, since my last resignation from HPM, it's been 3 years I'm working at Telkom Indonesia. Still leaving a hole in my chest. Empty but Grateful. I wonder I will never meet warm and caring friends I have here. Who knows and accepts me despite my strong and hateful person I am, they accept me for who I am. Maybe it's not so special for you but for me it means a lot. I didn''t have many friends since I was in elementary to high school. The fact that my parents always move to new places making it so difficult to adapt and mingle with other people.

I had a self-esteem crisis back then. Thanks to all bullies, I hope your life is better than I have right now. Trust me guys, never ever bully anyone just because they are different. But I don't want to blame them anyways, their parents didn't teach them to respect other people despite differences they found in life is too exaggerating to handle. I've heard from one of TED talk, that bullying does affect one's life-time. Thus saying that if you were bullied, you might have shorter life expectancy than those who are free from bullying. 

Those are couple pictures I took during office field trip in Bandung. At the moment, they are people I trust, people I care about, people who probably knows who I am. I don't know their feeling towards me actually, but I don't really care about that. We don't have time to fuss about what other people think about us, don't give too much f*ck about it. Hey friends, if you are reading this, let this friendship be eternal.

Back to where it begins, what if I chose different path, I won't be able to meet those people. Instead of being able to choose the life you want, there is an invisible power working. A power that guide us to where we supposed to be instead of where we want to be. That power is God. Believe or not, you can reflect back the story of your life. I bet you experience it too. It happens to all of us. My mom once told me that no matter how hard you are working towards something, there is always God's intervention.