What are you focused on? Will you (continue to) press through the immediate and choose the thoughts that will lead you to the life you most desire?

-Unknown

Setiap orang tua juga pasti menginginkan yang terbaik bagi anaknya tetapi sayang orang tua suka salah dalam hal memberikan yang terbaik. Kenapa? Karena menurut saya hal yang terbaik itu harus disesuaikan dengan perasaan dan kondisi sang anak. Seperti contoh: Seorang anak menginginkan sebuah handphone baru untuk ulang tahunnya tetapi orang tuanya memberikan sebuah laptop canggih yang baru. Menurut orang tua pemberian laptop adalah yang terbaik karena dapat meningkatkan kreatifitas sang anak tetapi si anak merasa laptop dia sudah cukup canggih dan tidak memerlukan laptop baru tetapi dia menginginkan handphone baru yang memiliki tehnology video call. Bayangkan pada saat diberikan, pasti sang anak akan lebih bahagia dan senang pada saat handphone baru diberikan oleh orang tuanya untuk hadiah ulang tahun.

Jadi apa sih yang terbaik? Saya rasa terbaik itu bukan berarti yang paling mahal ataupun yang paling baru. Bukan yang paling canggih ataupun yang limited edition. Yang Terbaik adalah yang sesuai dengan hati dan keinginan. Ya memang tidak selamanya yang menurut anak terbaik adalah sesuatu yang baik. Tentu orang tua dapat melihat lebih jauh kedepan akan sesuatu hal tapi tentu tidak ada salahnya sekali-kali orang tua memberikan yang terbaik menurut hati si anak. Yang terbaik menurut seseorang belum tentu yang terbaik menurut orang lain.

Pernahkan engkau berdoa kepada Tuhan meminta yang terbaik? Mungkin jodoh yang terbaik, pekerjaan yang terbaik.... Saya sendiri cukup sering mengharapkan yang terbaik dari Tuhan. Tetapi pernahkah engkau memberikan Tuhan yang terbaik? Sering kali kita suka memberikan Tuhan yang sisa. Kadang kita berdoa hanya sesaat sebelum tidur, masih untung kita dapat mengucapkan kata amin sebelum ketiduran. Kadang juga kita mengucapkan terima kasih pada saat makan dalam hati sambil mengunyah makanan. Apakah itu yang terbaik? Kita sering menginginkan yang terbaik tapi kita sendiri tidak pernah memberikan yang terbaik.

Hubungan kita dengan Tuhan seharusnya seperti hubungan kita dengan orangtua dan anak juga. Ada saatnya Tuhan tidak memberikan yang ?terbaik? seperti yang kita harapkan karena Tuhan melihat jauh kedepan. Tetapi percayalah dalam hatimu karena Tuhan pasti akan memberikan yang terbaik dalam kehidupan kita, dia tidak pernah memberikan yang second grade, selalu yang terbaik! Demikian juga dengan kita, usahakanlah untuk memberikan hidup dan waktu kita yang terbaik untuk Dia.

Untuk penutup saya mengajak kita semua untuk merenung sejenak, tanyalah kedalam hati anda sendiri apakah kita sudah memberikan yang terbaik untuk orang tua kita, untuk anak kita dan terlebih untuk Tuhan? Jika belum berdoalah saat ini juga, tanyakan kepada Tuhan bagaimana caranya memberikan yang terbaik untuk orang-orang disekitar kita dengan penuh sukacita dan damai sejahtera.

-rv-

For over 7 years, Regina Brett was a columnist at The Beacon
Journal in Akron, Ohio. During that time, she was diagnosed
and successfully treated for breast cancer. Regina is now a
columnist for The Plain Dealer in Cleveland, Ohio. Her
column runs on Sunday, Wednesday and Friday.

Lessons in Life By Regina Brett:

'To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life
taught me. It is the most requested column I've ever written.
My odometer rolls over to 50 this week, so here's an update:'

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the
present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others' You have no idea
what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't
worry; God never blinks.
16. Life is too short for long pity parties. Get busy living, or
get busy dying.
17. You can get through anything if you stay put in today.
18. A writer writes. If you want to be a writer, write.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the
second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life,
don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy
lingerie . Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is
special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: 'In
five years, will this matter?'
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone, everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time, time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick.
Your friends will. Stay in touch.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of
anything you did or didn't do.
35. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood. Make it memorable.
38. Read the Psalms. They cover every human emotion.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone
else's, we'd grab ours back.
41. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
42. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
43. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
44. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
45. The best is yet to come.
46. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
47. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
48. If you don't ask, you don't get.
49. Yield.
50. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.

Live simply, Love generously, Care deeply, Speak kindly...
Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass.
It's about learning to dance in the rain.

And thanks to Bev is who sends me the best dancing videos:

Can you dance like a first grader?  This will make you cheer!  She's just soo cute!

I've found that it isn't the school district but the individual school that determines a successful outcome.  My son was in his fourth elementary school by the time he was in the last part of kindergarten (he started at age three). 

I've always tried to work with teachers who seemed willing but the truth always came out when they were unhappy about inclusion.  All the moving around did hurt us a bit financially but I KNOW it has served my son well.  He is now included and accepted by the staff (teachers WANT him in their class), the kids and the community.  **a tear of joy**  It also benefits by being involved with the school through activities, PTA and community/neighborhood functions. 

I feel I must speak to the confrontational method of pursuit.  Especially for those who are in smaller communities, this just IS NOT going to work and your child will suffer for it (even more than you think they already are).  So be kind, treat people as you want to be treated, try their plan first (if compromising doesn't work) and if it doesn't work for your child, be kind when you make strong suggestions (possibly backed by the doctor) as to what you've found that works for your child and ask for changes. Be involved with showing how something isn't or is working but give issues time to resolve on their own unless immediately detrimental.  

Confrontational tactics should ALWAYS be the very last resort.  I say this because I come across so very many well meaning parents who've pushed and shoved (those are the kids I've seen suffer the most). 

By being kind, I'm always asked to be on committees, attend functions to represent special needs, etc.  You know, flies and honey...THAT is where the REAL differences are made...having input from the get go.

Early on I had one principal come out and tell me at an IEP meeting that I needed to put my son in a different school.  I thanked her, and I did, it was more than clear my son wasn't going to get the support he needed there. I was thankful for her honesty, it was the best thing that ever happened to my son.

belauernde Blicke voll Nervosität
wartend auf Spannung,
die sich entläd

verheißungsvolle Lügen
der Narr gekonnt spricht

faulige Ähren in düstrem Gesicht

fatal-berechnende Attraktion
für den Tageslohn

Marionetten-Moloch, kreuzverstrickt
karpfenmäulig erstickt

And ... We're back!

Seriously. Life has been rippin' down the track and I feel a bit windblown from sittin' in my engineer's seat by the window of my red engine car. ;-)

I have so many post starters playin' in my head ... It is just that — despite having a lot to say, blog, etc. — I have had little time to type it out here. :mrgreen:

So, one phrase that keeps playin' in my head is: Be ... In the moment ... Consistently.

Life happens; it comes on pretty strong sometimes with its revolving doors spewing out commands and demands, shoulds and oughts, and non-stop tyranny-of-the-urgent that yank at your arms ... Dragging you into moments yet to occur. 8-O

But ... Ya' know ... We have a choice. Consistently.

Every day. Every moment ...

To simply Be ...

The basics of said Choice: Shall I sip ever-so-slowly from the colorful mugs of the proverbial café mochas of Life? Or shall I funnel-guzzle — with no notice of the delicate hints of sweet cinnamon and rich cream?

Just like you ... I have had to ask myself these questions; I have had to make The Choice during the past several weeks of busy-ness — as well as the other opportune moments presented from the pages of other drama-chapters of my life ...

• First Official Introduction: I was a 20-something, working full-time, attending graduate school and volunteering at a local women's center. (Yes. That does sounds a tad bit insane! :-| ) The presence of these questions and The Choice seemed huge and looming as I often pondered my answer while sitting, knees to my chest, with my first canine kid, Ari, curled up beside me — on the outdoor balcony (of my all-time favorite apartment!) which overlooked a small pond, complete with Koi and a bubbling fountain. Said "water-music" was ever-so soothing (and served to drown out the "voices" in my head screaming to "try-harder" and "do-more" ... :cry: )
• Second Arrival: Showed up on the doorstep of my country home during my 30-something years; I was M's Bride and "Mom" (and a very part-time career gal). Motherhood was n-o-t-h-i-n-g like I expected and it just about kicked my hiney, dear reader! Sadly, I was often too busy "dealing with reality" to even answer the persistent knocking of The Choice ... And if I ever finally dared to open the door to sipping that café mocha, I would feel guilty. 8-O (Funnel-guzzling ... um, no guilt. I was doing w-a-y too much of that to feel anything.)
• More Recent Visit: They arrived once again when I was a (younger) 40-something. This time, no knocking. They came via jet-arrival — right through my front door! — via the words, "You have cancer." And — for the record — cancer was a walk in the park compared to mothering the eldest of my brood. I love 'em ... But, whew! :lol: That was the most exhausting set of Life Lessons I have ever been blessed with!

Fortunately ... (tap, tap) ... Are you still reading? Or have I completely gone too far down "memory lane"?? I have THE best friends in the world! Hugs all around to ya'll!

Because for the past seven years ... I have moved beyond merely hearing their wise words and prayers ... I stated processing — their words and the words I could speak to anyone but myself. I started embracing (and surrounding myself with) their comfort and receiving their "presence" and other gifts of love. (Instead of being The Lone Ranger — convinced I was a burden, feeling completely lost sans sustenance — just awanderin' around the Wild, Wild West! :-?

So-o, let me just cut to the chase ... I now have approximately 20 years of practice and experience regarding answering those two questions, making The Choice — as well as the outcomes. AND, I hope and pray you will realize that being in this moment (sippin' that café mocha :!: ) is definitely the way to go.

If, for some reason, you don't believe me or think I just don't know what your life is like — and.or you consider "running as fast as you can" part of your "plan" to "manage" your life ... Please ... Let me hear from you. :-)

Please feel free to contact me via e-mail. If you don’t have my e-mail address, simply leave a comment to this post.

• Note: Please be assured that I do opt to keep comments private (which facilitates the necessity of readers contacting me via this blog in confidence) and your e-mail addy certainly will not be added to any sort of mailing list.

"If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door."
Milton Berlet

I think it's great: a primary activity -- i.e., work, hobbies, problematic times, etc. -- creates the medium for interactions that allow people to contemplate other problems, concerns and/or interests in their life.  After a while, a few tangential comments allow the conversation to flow to a new understanding.

I think this is one type of basis for humans to learn.  From a simulation theory perspective, this is the essence of stochastic modeling, an approach used when generic algorithms are not realistic in solving a problem at hand.

QED

Thought origin: solving personal problems at work, forming new ideas while on group workouts, and copious amounts of drug usage.

Quelle

[dailymotion id=xnnds]

Video Clip : Think About It

Singer : Aerosmith

The idea of a bucket list is quite morbid; making a list of things to do before you die.  It is almost as sinister as life insurance.  Bucket Lists were made famous by the movie of the same name. Morgan Freemen and Jack Nicholson were both diagnosed with terminal illnesses.  They decided to make a list of things they wanted to do before they "kick the bucket."  Their list was rather extravagant so it helped that Jack's character was a millionaire.  Some of my goals require money, some are very simple, others will take years and some luck.

Some of the most popular items I found on Bucket Lists were the Smithsonian Life List and the Time All-Time 100 Novels.  I also found a wiki devoted to Bucket Lists at http://bucketlists.wetpaint.com/. Finally there is a site where you can post your Life List and see how many other people have the same ambitions.  The site is called 43Things.  43Things is a typical social networking site where you can share your goals, see who has common goals and browse other people's goals.

My Bucket List can be found at http://www.43things.com/person/mradomski.  There are only 15 items as of today, but I am sure it will grow over time.  What do you want to accomplish before you kick the bucket?

The other night whilst watching TV I commented to my husband that it is amazing how the ads for cellulite, wrinkles, crows-feet and any other ‘mature’ ailment always have young perky models who haven’t even begun to realize that they will be inflected with these things one day. One of my favourite ranges of cream have been advertising their new lotion that ‘firms’ you - ok, that sounds nice ….. but why use a model who has never had an ounce of flab on her to demonstrate this.

This morning I was at my local pharmacy and was looking at a range of very (!) expensive French products which they promise are even better than a botox injection, and yes you guessed it ….. the model advertising this range that is clearly aimed at older woman couldn’t have been over the age of 18. Surely there are some attractive women of over 50 that could be used instead.

Having said all that, I have to admit that I probably wouldn’t buy a product that had a picture like the one I have shown above (NO, it most definately isn’t me!!!!), so maybe it is a catch 22 situation.

The effect of being in my gardens and spotting an unexpected bloom of vibrant color ... Well, it is a moment of sheer and total joy! :-D It becomes an amazing surprise, a reason to celebrate and a special gift from God.

... the gardener seems to be only one of the instruments, not the composer. ~Geoffrey B. Charlesworth

As an instrument, I have been planning, weeding, journaling and clearing. I am completing these tasks at a slower pace than usual. But that is okay. ;-) My gardening goals remain rooted in a perennial life-goal I nurture and maintain: Focus upon the Grace of God, and within that measure of Grace, craft beauty and celebrate the artistry of the elements.

The ritual of crafting and celebrating this artistry — this Red; the finding of the proverbial red. That is what I am talkin' about! ;-)

The fabulous Daylily shown above is Red for me today. There were also some terrific other occasions of Red in my gardens this morning. Those unexpected blooms cheering me onward, inviting me to embrace the passion of Red and imparting vibrancy and inspiration to me ...

picture by

Bubbles and Clouds on a Summer Day! :-D

The United States celebrates its Independence Day this week. And due to several circumstances which continue to require my attention, I am learning how to "stop" — to pause in the midst of said circumstances.

This is possible because I have let go of my expectations of "grand things" and long lists of so-called "To-Do" and "Should-Do" ... I am finally willing to allow myself "to be" and to enjoy where am this moment of my life.

We are what we repeatedly do.
—Aristotle

This comforting and restful place is the result of a simple thing called a habit. I have purposed in my heart to get into the habit of taking care myself via rest and hobbies I enjoy.

Dear reader, you yourself may have changes in mind, some new habits you desire to establish in your life. Please allow for gentle change; allow said changes to begin with intentions and not a performance-based (and often, impossible) list of "To-Do" ...

Change occurs first in the mind. Thoughts determine actions, actions determine habits and habits are the doorway to change! Step-by-step, ACT (Accomplish Change Today) intentionally and via baby steps.

I designed my own graduation announcement when I completed my Bachelor's degree (many — many! — moons ago ... ). It included an ink drawing of a geometric shape "falling into place" and the following quotation: The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. —Lao Tzu

My journey has continued to be fabulous — not without its icky surprises, heartaches and torturous moments — and I am confident it will continue as such! ;-) I learn something every day (because I am watching for "lessons" within the moments of my day); I also purpose in my heart to consistantly inquire of my Father God, "What are You doing in this situation?" and "What do You want me to do — if anything?"

That has been my habit. And now it is part of me. Selah ... And I rejoice in that!!! :-D

There is a Plan and there is a Promise ... Romans 12; 8:28.

We all know that confidence can feel amazing. It might give you that great energy where you believe you can accomplish anything at all. Confidence can encourage us to make certain decisions, meet people and take action. But what about overconfidence? Can that do more harm than good? Sometimes, it can. If a person is overconfident, they might miss some of the key details to watch out for when making a change. For example, being overconfident before a test might mean you don't spend enough time studying. A business executive might assume an investment is a good idea without making an effort to really think the decision through.

Perhaps the important question involves how we would even go about measuring overconfidence. From a scientific standpoint, it's not easy to assess overconfidence because this kind of study would rely on the participant to explain how they are overconfident. That's really subjective and not a very reliable or accurate way to provide results.

Let's Try Something New

But wait! According to Pascal Mamassian, a researcher at CNRS and Université Paris Descartes, France, overconfidence can indeed be accurately measured. Mamassian believes he has come up with a cool way to handle the problems associated with having participants assess their own overconfidence. How? With a very natural and objective visuo-motor task. If you want to get really geeky, you can check out the full version in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.

Bring On The Visuo-Motor Task

So, what did these participants in Mamassian's study do? Well, they were asked to sit at a computer and press on a key in synchrony with a 'blob' that would pop up on the screen. If they pressed the key in synchrony, they were given points for their success. But if they pressed the key too early or late, they lost points. Mamassian decided to use a mathematical model to analyze the way participants manipulated a key tapping strategy, which would help participants gain the most points and reduce the points lost. Now, let's see what Mamassian found out from the participants!

The Results Are In

Mamassian discovered that the participants regularly didn't aim for the best time. Instead, they showed overconfidence in their actions. Mamassian explained:

They underestimated the magnitude of their uncertainty and the cost of their error. Overconfidence is not limited to the realm of subjective beliefs and cognitive judgments but appears instead to reflect a general characteristic of human decision making.

So, this means that overconfidence in their abilities led participants to be less careful in assessing their own uncertainty and the consequences of mistakes when completing the task. Because they were overconfident, they didn't take the time to think of what they needed to do to ensure no mistakes were made. Since they were so confident, they perhaps figured they would just automatically do well. On top of that, they didn't properly estimate the points they would lose from these mistakes because – well, their overconfidence might have meant that they didn't expect to make mistakes in the first place!

Now, I think that a little – or sometimes even a lot – of confidence can go a long way in creating good feelings of self-esteem and accomplishment. At the same time, Mamassian's experimental model is a new and interesting way to judge if someone is overconfident. For now though, it's not exactly a practical reality for most of us, which means we can't just access this test to check whether we're overconfident. A more cautious approach might be to take those confident leaps, but look where you are going. Ultimately, be confident knowing that you can reach your goals, but don't be overconfident so that you are blinded by all the challenges along the way!

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Nah itu juga yang masih menjadi pertanyaan bagi diri saya. Kata-kata tersebut terdengar begitu indah tetapi juga menjadi suatu misteri bagi saya. Kasih yang selalu memberi, apa artinya jika kita memiliki kasih maka kita harus terus membagi-bagikan sedekah dan berbuat amal? Saya rasa pemikiran itu terlalu cetek.

Saya merenung, pasti Kasih yang selalu memberi tidak hanya dalam hal memberi dalam arti uang / benda dan juga tidak hanya terhadap fakir miskin dan anak yatim piatu. Saya merasa ada hal yang lebih daripada kata-kata tersebut.

Dalam hidup saya, sering saya memberi uang tips kepada tukang parkir, pelayan restoran maupun pekerja warteg, tukang bensin, penjaga toko kacamata, caddy golf, hair stylist dan lain-lain. Pernah sekali saya ditegur oleh teman saya pada saat saya makan di restoran padang dan memberikan tip sebesar Rp5000,-. Dia berkata, ?ngapain kasih tip? udah seperti makan di hotel aja?. Nah ini dia yang tidak nyambung dengan pemikiran saya. Menurut saya tip itu tidak perlu karena toh mereka digaji untuk bekerja hanya saja saya memberikan tip karena saya puas dengan pelayanan mereka, baik di hotel maupun di warteg. Jumlah yang saya berikan pun kisarannya sama, tidak berpatokan dengan dimana saya dilayani melainkan dengan kepuasan yang saya terima.

Saat ditegur seperti itu saya sih tidak berkomentar tetapi saya berpikir artinya kebanyakan orang memberikan tip karena gengsi saja dan ingin dianggap kaya. Mungkin tidak juga, toh saya pernah melihat ada seseorang yang memberikan tip kepada petugas toilet di sebuah mall. Apa karena gengsi? Tidak mungkin lah, saya rasa itu pasti karena Kasih. Lagipula di jalan sering saya melihat supir angkot / truck meberikan uang Rp1000,- ataupun seadanya kepada pengemis. Mereka tidak berlebih tetapi mereka tetap membagikan apa yang mereka miiki. Gengsi? Gengsi apa mereka hanya supir angkot yang lewat dijalan. Bagaimana dengan yang mengendarai mobil mewah? Hanya sedikit yang memberi, saya sendiri adalah orang yang jarang memberi sedekah di jalan.

Jadi apa sih Kasih yang selalu memberi? Masih agak bingung juga nih hehehe. Pagi ini saya mendapat suatu pemikiran yang tidak sengaja melintas di pikiran saya, saat saya melihat istri saya sedang tidur saya merasa bahwa Kasih itu adalah cerminan hati seseorang. Saya kembali berpikir dan merenung, sering saya minta istri untuk memperhatikan saya, melayani setiap kebutuhan saya mulai dari baju hingga makan, saya selalu menuntut istri saya untuk berbuat sempurna! Apa yang saya berikan untuk dia? Saya rasa sih saya lebih banyak menuntut daripada memberi hehehe tetapi dalam setiap perbuatannya istri saya terlihat seperti tidak pernah menuntut saya untuk berubah. Inilah yang membuka pikiran saya.

Kasih yang selalu memberi tidak pernah berharap akan pahala dan balasan. Dia selalu memberikan yang terbaik terhadap orang-orang disekitarnya dalam segala hal, tidak hanya berupa uang. Dan orang yang dipenuhi oleh Kasih pasti akan memberi dalam sukacita. Saya rasa itulah sebuah Kasih yang selalu memberi.

Kemudian setelah kata Kasih ada juga kata ?bagai air mengalir yang tidak pernah berhenti?. Saya rasa maksudnya adalah jika dalam hidup ini kita selalu membagikan Kasih maka TUHAN akan menjadikan hidup kita ini sebagai saluran berkatnya untuk memberkati orang lain. Jangan pernah takut dalam membagikan Kasih karena saya yakin seperti lyric lagu diatas, Kasih yang dari TUHAN akan terus mengalir kedalam kehidupan kita sampai kita dipenuhi oleh kasih tersebut dan Kasih itu TIDAK akan pernah berhenti mengalir kedalam setiap aspek kehidupan kita.

Bagaimana dengan kehidupan anda sekarang? Apakah masih ada Kasih itu dalam hati anda? Coba lihatlah sekeliling rumahmu, papa-mu, mama-mu, istri-mu, suami-mu, anak-mu, menantu-mu dan mertua-mu. Apakah anda masih memberikan perhatian dan kasih terhadap mereka? Saya harap anda masih memiliki Kasih itu, jika tidak cobalah untuk memupuk Kasih itu agar terus berkembang dan memenuhi hidup mu. Dan jangan lupa bahwa setelah anda memiliki Kasih yang selalu memberi, DIA yang diatas pasti akan mencurahkan kasihNYA keatasmu.

-rv-

Colorful Victory, June sunset

As I sip my café mocha ... I meditate upon these words ...

I learn daily the sublime lesson of trust and calm in the midst of storm. Whatever of sorrow or difficulty the day may bring My tender command to you is still the same — Love and laugh.

Love and Laughter, not a sorrowful resignation, mark real acceptances of My Will. Leave every soul the braver and happier for having met you. For children or youth, middle or old age, for sorrow, for sin, for all you may encounter in others, this should be your attitude. Love and Laugh.

Do not fear. Remember how I faced the devil in the wilderness, and how I conquered with "the sword of the spirit which is the word of God." You too have your quick answer to every fear that evil may present — an answer of faith and confidence in me. Where possible say it aloud.

The spoken word has power. Look on every fear, not as a weakness on your part due to illness or worry, but as a very real temptation to be attacked and overthrown.

And Moses said ... Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you today. Exodus 14:13

— quoted from God Calling by Two Listeners

Now to Him who is able to keep you from falling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. Jude 1:24-25

Yang menjadi pembahasan saya hari ini adalah bagaimana dengan di Indonesia? Wah kalo di Indonesia sih kacau balau, orang jelas-jelas SIM saja bisa dibeli. Malah kalau melalui jalur yang resmi dengar-dengar akan dipersulit. Hahaha gara-gara SIM bisa dibeli inilah saya sering kesel pada saat sedang menyetir terutama dengan pengguna motor yang kebanyakan sangat bodoh. Tidak semua sih, tetapi mayoritas pada gak ngerti bagaimana sih peraturan ataupun memilih mana yang berbahaya atau tidak.

Contoh tadi sore sepulang saya bekerja saya sedang menyetir dengan kecepatan kira-kira 60Km/Jam di jalur sebelah kanan. Kebetulan jalan yang saya lalui hanya terdiri dari 2 jalur saja dan saat itu cukup padat. Kemudian pada saat saya berada disebuah perempatan tiba-tiba ada sebuah motor berwarna kuning dari bahu jalan paling kiri memotong tepat didepan saya karena dia ingin belok kanan.

Gila itu motor, kalau saya tidak buang setir ke kanan pasti itu motor sudah ancur ketabrak. Udah gitu malah dia yang marah ke saya..... Serius saya sih merasa itu orang goblok banget, udah maen belok seenaknya en malah dia yang marah gara2 ampir saya tubruk.

Buat banyak orang sih kejadian seperti ini pasti sering terjadi, ya saya sendiri juga sering mengalami nya hanya saja yang kali ini terjadi benar2 di hadapan saya dan hampir tertabrak mobil saya. Kenapa bisa banyak yang menyetir motor dengan cara demikian?

Ya pertama sih pasti gara-gara di negara kita SIM itu harus beli. Alasan kedua menurut saya adalah karena petugas tidak suka menindak pengendara motor karena pada saat tertangkap kebanyakan tidak punya uang uang ber-damai. Ketiga adalah dijalanan masih banyak yang main hakim sendiri dan pengendara motor mempunyai ikatan yang cukup kuat. Pada saat ada kejadian antara motor dan mobil pasti motor yang akan menang dan dibela. Selain itu pasti pengendara motor lain akan ikut berhenti dan membela teman nya sesama pengendara motor.

Begitulah negara kita, masyarakatnya tidak punya pikiran maju dan tidak punya moral. Tapi ya kita semua harus berdoa untuk negara kita karena kedepannya saya yakin Indonesia pasti akan selalu maju. Pemerintah, tolong donk SIM di test dengan baik dan benar, jangan semua orang diberikan surat ijin mengemudi. Harapan saya jika semua pengemudi memiliki SIM dengan test yang sah maka tingkat keamanan berkendara pasti akan meningkat jauh.

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Ditempat saya sendiri bekerja belum lama ini kita membutuhkan beberapa karyawan baru dengan standard kelulusan SMA atau sederajat, ya jumlah nya sih tidak terlalu banyak hanya berkisar 20-30 orang saja. Tetapi untuk memenuhi permintaan karyawan sejumlah itu saja susahnya bukan main. Ini beneran loh, untuk mendapatkan karyawan sebanyak 10 orang saja dibutuhkan 350an orang peserta karena tingkat kegagalan yang tinggi pada saat test masuk.

Apa test nya susah sekali? Wah kalau menurut saya sih sangat gampang, hanya berkisar matematika umum SMP dan SMA. Sudah gitu perusahaan tampat saya bekerja sudah mengurangi jumlah test dari 3x test berbeda menjadi 1x test matematika saja dengan jumlah soal 10 nomor. Setelah belajar mengikuti proses recruitment karyawan saya jadi sadar apa lowongan perkerjaan yang gak ada atau memang kondisi sumber daya manusia kita yang jauh terbelakang?

Saya sendiri jadi terbingung-bingung melihat kondisi seperti ini apa di SMA tidak ada standard yah sehingga sekolah yang satu dengan lain nya tidak setingkat? Karena terus terang peserta test di tempat saya itu sungguh sangat bodoh! (Mohon maaf atas pengunaan bahasa yang kasar). Lebih lucu lagi pada saat kita test pelamar dari penduduk setempat, dari 30 orang nilai paling tinggi hanya 3 dan lebih dari 15 orang bernilai 0 atau 1. Hahahaha bener-bener gak masuk diakal. Lain hal nya jika yang kita test adalah pelamar dari daerah Jawa Tengah dan sekitarnya karena persentase kelulusan test (test perusahaan kita) mereka lebih tinggi. Mungkin menurut saya ada kecenderungan lebih pintar dari mayoritas pelamar daerah Jakarta ataupun juga karena mereka lebih memiliki semangat juang karena telah berani merantau ke Jakarta.

Berdasarkan pemikiran sekilas, saya rasa pemerintah sedah seharusnya mempersulit tingkat kelulusan di SMA. Paling tidak agar standar kelulusan di tingkatkan sehingga sumber daya manusia kita memiliki pemikiran dan masa depan bukannya hanya menjual tenaga saja. Sungguh SDM kita saya rasa jauh tertinggal, menciptakan lapangan perkerjaan saja tidak cukup jika tidak didukung dengan SDM yang lebih maju. Indonesia ingin bergerak sebagai negara industri, lah wong mau recruit karyawan aja susah nya minta ampun apalagi mau menciptakan sesuatu penemuan hehehe.

Memang penulisan ini hanya didasarkan pada pemikiran sederhana tanpa research yang mendalam dan memang gue sendiri tau orang Indonesia juga banyak yang cukup pintar toh setiap tahun kita bisa merajai Olimpiade Fisika dan lain-lain hanya saja mayoritas masyarat kita menurut gue masih jauh tertinggal. Jadi ini hanya asumsi umum saja berdasarkan pengalaman.

Tujuan dari penulisan ini adalah agar pembaca dapat terbuka pemikirannya karena sering orang ingin mencari kerja berkeluh kesah tidak bisa karena perlu uang sogok ataupun perlu koneksi. Disisi lain pernakah kita cek diri kita sendiri? Apakah kita sudah cukup pandai dan berilmu untuk mengikuti test? Meskipun kita bisa masuk karena nyogok terus terang dengan kebodohan itu akan membuat diri kita malu sendiri.

Selain itu saya harap pemerintah dapat memajukan tingkat pendidikan negara ini, dengan demikian masyarakat dapat meningkatkan kesejahteraan hidup mereka sendiri karena mereka punya modal pemikiran dan kemampuan untuk bekerja.

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Living a more healthy life can be translated into working smarter and there are several common sense things we can do to make this more than just a goal but a true reality.

Eating better translates into watching what we take into our minds. What we think about determines our attitude and just as junk food slows the body down so wrong thinking will impede common sense.

Exercising is the same as role playing, or practicing. Whether alone or with co-workers this helps us be more mentally sharp and ready to do what we have been trained to do, which results in a quick turn around time and rapid responses to requests from customers.

Overcoming bad habits in regards to health or business is the same – we cannot let ourselves get bogged down into ruts of wrong thinking, bad attitudes, or poor practices. Breaking habits is hard work, but doing the right thing over and over and thinking the right way over and over will train our minds and our bodies to do what is best.

As for the results of our resolutions, that is losing weight, in business this is streamlining the way we work. It involves offering optimistic, consistent, and timely service. If our focus is on benefiting self or the company then we will fall short because selfish thinking leads to baggage, or excess weight. On the other hand, if our focus is on meeting the customer’s needs then the customer will be happy, the company will prosper, and we will be working smarter.