http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/03/05/your-letters-the-ordinary-heroes-out-there.html
Immersing in my novel, I turned a deaf ear of the creaky child-like voice at the other end of the line. Afterall, there were some men sat near where the voice came from, so I thought, providing a justification on my selfish-action. Additionally, it was not any time soon the train would run again due to hours of delayed schedule. Securing a seat seemed to provide a refuge to my weary limbs. Sadly, the others had similar thought. So, no one offered the child a seat.
Immersing in my novel, I turned a deaf ear of the creaky child-like voice at the other end of the line. Afterall, there were some men sat near where the voice came from, so I thought, providing a justification on my selfish-action. Additionally, it was not any time soon the train would run again due to hours of delayed schedule. Securing a seat seemed to provide a refuge to my weary limbs. Sadly, the others had similar thought. So, no one offered the child a seat.
Yes,
I have to admit, we are a bunch of selfish inconsiderate commuters who put our
own interests above others. Our own comfort is the number one priority. As
urban dwellers, we are increasingly becoming more self-centered. We lack care
and concern for one another. The cruel city has turned our heart into stone. Ops,
or it’s just our own true nature resurface when faced with hardship.
Long
have we been gloated about heroism. Even Pancasila as the official
philosophical foundation of the Indonesian state has long taught the concept of
heroism. Fortunately, such word is not yet ingrained in soul. Today we
sometimes toss the word around without thinking much about it. We understand
the concept of a hero. We often fail to follow such path even in its simplest
deed.
By actual definition, heroes are
individuals who consistently and continually sacrifice their own needs in the
interest of others. They change others for the better. Their inks leave prints
forever in others. They are ordinary people who do extraordinary things and make a difference.
I was sitting on the computer this evening, trying to be
productive and actually write something after weeks of absent from writing.
During this deadlock, my husband switched on the TV and ‘voila’ I watched an
inspiring program of “Kick Andy’s Heroes 2014.”
The
show was remarkable and moving, an inspiration and reminder of what the word
hero is intended to mean. It provided a sense of
hope and concrete examples of what we could all do to help lift ourselves as a
society out of what was a pretty dark moment took hold.
Indeed Kick Andy Show has always been as an anomaly amid
hundreds of TV programs full with violence, corrupting soap operas, boring political
warring, twisted parade of twisted corrupted justice system and woman sexuality.
The show offers fresh outlook and beautiful insights about human as a social
being complete with all their potential.
The Kick Andy’s Heroes spotlights the everyday heroes among
us. They are not famous celebrities, politicians or executives. They are
ordinary people just like us. Yet, they are agents of hope and change who had
committed themselves to improving the lives of others.
These ordinary people are beautiful example of how
simply living your life with a spirit of generosity and kindness can make a
huge difference in the lives of all those you touch. They work in silence, far
away from any publication, yet their work touch the life of may and bring light
out of the dark.
Two heroes that stole my attention tonight
are Ibu Fitria Nugrahaningrum and Bapak Lalu Slamet Suriawan Shak. Becoming
permanently blind at four did not discourage Ibu Fitria to give something to
her community. Nurturing and educating street children has helped them to
pursue a better life.
While
Bapak Slamet has crazily chopped off the 18 metres stony hill to bring water to
his desolated village. What once deemed as an impossible nut job bore fruit
after 30 years of perseverance, faith, and hard work. The barren wasted land is
magically turned into acres of green paddies fields and plantation. The water
has drastically changed the life of people in his area economically and
socially.
Then
I think about my selfish action during that cursed day when my train suffered a
glitch. I should have offered the child with his mother a seat instead of pretending
not to notice. If only we, commuters, can at least do such simple act of
kindness, perhaps it helps living in the city worthwhile. Perhaps, it helps us
and others to contribute to make the city life better J
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