Mother Day

Live the spirit of motherhood, that's what I've got as I listen to Smart FM today.
Although 22 December is celebrated as mother day, but the theme discussed in the radio talk-show was not purposely discussing women, mother or any other mother day's related picks.

Actually it was a business discussion and how the way of a mother live a life can be implemented to gain success. That in dealing with the current problems occur in the society, feminine attitude works!

Some of the attitude regarded as the way of a mother are : integration (compared to expansion), empowerment (compared to competition), conservation (compared to exploitation), persuasion (compared to intimidation), and modesty (compared to hedonism)

Change

Two days ago I find out that my best friend, as close as a sister I've never had, has chosen another belief. She is now a catholic. Today I visit her for a pilgrim. I feel like I've lost her. I come to show my gratitude to her. I respect the way of life she chose to live. I let her as I cannot take her back. For me my religion, for her her religion. Maybe it is the best for her...

A quote from Dr. Stephen R. Covey, in The 8^th Habit : From Effectiveness to Greatness
Your power to choose the direction of your life allows you to re-invent yourself, to change your future, and to powerfully influence the rest of creation.

Does she know it? She chose to change her life's direction... Is a way for her to re- invent her self, to change her future and to powerfully influence the rest of creation?? Only one thing I know for sure, she did change the direction of her life. Extremely.

The Facility

Today I visited a facility, a home for drug users to recover themselves. It is located in Banjarbaru, about 35 kilometers from Banjarmasin the capital city of South Kalimantan.

I'm going with Endah and a team from Garcinia Mangostana of PKBI Kalsel (Indonesian Planned Parenthood Association in South Kalimantan) to join a campaign regarding the International AIDS day. The aim is to let residents of the facility understands the importance to get themselves tested. And if anyone would like to get tested, there is a VCT programme for them. VCT programme or Voluntary Counseling and Testing is a way to reach as many people as possible voluntarily tested for HIV.

What impress me so much in this second visit (previously I went to the facility to join AIDS candlelight memorial in May) is the brotherhood of the residents. All of them (more than 20) are refer to one another as brother or bro. And the most common greeting as they begin to talk in forum is, "Good afternoon family"

I noted a philosophy written in the prayer room of the facility. Below is the copy, incomplete but I hope I've grab all the meaningful part.

...
I am here because there is no refuge
finally from myself
until I confront myself
In the eyes and the hearts of others
I am running
until I suffer them
To share my secrets
I have no safety from them
Affraid to be known
I can know neither myself
nor any others
I will be alone
Where else
but in my common ground
can I find such a mirror?
Here together
I can at last appear clearly to myself
Not as a giant of my dreams
Nor the dwarf of my fear
But as a person
Part of the whole
with my share in its purpose
in this ground
I can take root and grow
...

Wonder...

I've just attended a journalists workshop held by Pantau in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan. A mining workshop in which Keith Slack (Oxfam America), Mas Buset from Pantau Foundation and Bang Uding from Walhi Kaltim.

All of them have given me great thing to share here back home. But, I'm a bit nervous coming back to my workplace, Antara News Agency the Banjarmasin Branch. Yeah, I only exist in this office though. I mean, I'm not yet registered in the national office administration... And after the training I had in this national news agency, although I love journalism so much I prepare to leave the office.

I've been very naughty (what I've done really makes me uneasy to hold on as tight as before to my journalist profession...hiks), leaving the office for almost two weeks now. Before the training, I went to join BKKBN survey team to have a field data gathering for mini survey of active users of family planning contraceptive in Kotabaru Regency, and I went to Balikpapan right after doing the research.

No matter what happen next, quoting Bill Kovach from Committee of Concerned Journalist, as I have printed on the workshop's t-shirt "Journalism is the closest thing I have to a religion". I love this new world I've just found, and I'll keep on writing.

Whizzy

I've just learned a new word this morning. WHIZZY. Get it from my GURU of Facilitation blog, it means technologically innovative. A very useful skill for a facilitator to have.

So far, I've never really interested in "technology". I prefer to to assign those technologically-related tasks to someone more competent which then makes me dependent on those I call smart people.

In the technologically innovative, seems I'm not whizzy. Its not easy to admit that I'm Ga-Tek. Tecnologically illiterate. But, as I posses the strong will to go beyond my own limit of good state to be great I'll start learning this whizzy stuffs.

But, there's a comment for that blog entry from Karen who wrote "whizzy is an important state of mind and body for anyone who believes things can change". Nah ini gue banget! So truly me!!

I believe things can change. I'm whizzy!!

Facilitation

Facilitation. I'm on my way to be great in it.

Having had a training for trainers about half a year ago. Conducting trainings for Walhi and now we're about to have the third batch of alumni. I'm heading to a new direction in my life.

Vibrant Facilitation that I've learned teach me to be the real me, with integrity. Still trying to optimize my capacity, mind, heart, spirit and body.

I'm not at my best to share my knowledge, skill and attitude. But, I won't wait any longer. I'll fix things out as I go.