Time Off for Christmas
Okay. I know it’s much too early for jingle bells and all, but I miss Christmas unbearably at the moment. Even though celebrating Christmas in the tropics may not look like a white, winter solstice by the fireplace, but the moments will always be there at sight even if I myself choose not too see. The colors of red, green and streaks of gold continues to illuminate even in the midst of bomb threats and the usual pre-holiday debates on the Trinity. Christmas is a radiance of colors that will forgive even the most abominable ones, comfort the restless and warm up even the darkest worlds — one to mention is mine.
Death, hunger, injustice, violence and greed, these and the echoing fear of others have been surrounding us like brick walls for as long as we can remember, keeping us away from interconnecting from each other meaningfully, dehumanizing us in such way that we consume and materialize ourselves towards global economic disaster. It is unsure if the distance we’ve walked endlessly is the path bound for bliss or a bridge built to detach ourselves as far as possible from the threats. It’s almost as if one’s learning process in the world is destined solely to reach the crossroad of either being a prey or a predator in the society, choices that would forever define one’s self worth in life. There are times that knowing our choices won’t be enough, as human bestiality has been on the television, newspapers, over the internet, for some of us, it’s also part of our studies or work and at worst times, it breaches into our personal lives no matter how far we’ve built that bridge across.
As some (of those personally related with me) know, members of my extended family have been facing a terrible ordeal for the past week and the news about it were also on TV, newspapers to my e-mail inbox. I’ve came upon the realization that there’s no place to run from the bad things happening in the world, there’s no place safe, there’s no place I could call mine as I want it to be. The world has always been what it has been to everyone else, but if ever fear comes as powerful as the rising sea, I would’ve had experience the darkest and coldest turn of time just moments before it completely claims the ground beneath me.
Having to deal with series of both major and minor depression attack throughout life, I’ve accepted the fact that I am not perfect person in a perfect life. On contrary, I am exactly as imperfect as the world is. Writing this post also doesn’t mean I’ve been a good Christian and I cannot consider myself a good Christian as I cannot consider myself as a good disciple of any religion — but I do have faith. I do believe in something. I do believe in love, kindness and the nobility of mankind. We are humans. We are beyond winning or losing, beyond being presidents or civilians, beyond being politicians or soldiers, beyond being consumerists or cynics, beyond being sinners or saints, beyond being our own race, religion or tribe and so help us God, we are also beyond being preys and predators.
We are truly beyond the very own structures that have caged and disciplined our sense of humanity instead of our bestiality. For centuries long, civilization evolves in an absolute motion towards its own revelation. An international visitor reading this post may wonder, how on earth an Indonesian could end up being a Christian? It happened hundreds of years ago and it didn’t take war, wealth nor power; it only took a friendship between a German orphan and a tribal warrior. Whatever it is that the two friends have shared, it led them to an understanding of both life’s misery and hope above their own fear of each other, this understanding then gave birth to a civilization. The course of civilization of mankind itself, thus far, proves nothing but one: We are, in essence, truly beyond everything but our own prayers — prayers so divine that God and the universe conspire to make each comes true.
How Christmas is to me perhaps is just as how Ramadhan is to you, or Galungan, or Nyepi, or just a Sunday dinner with your family, but I am sure you’ve also been gifted with such joy of peace and no one has the right to say otherwise. So, let’s do this. Let’s give ourselves a time off and seek the warmth by the fireplace, surrender ourselves to the romanticism of the past, perhaps for the week ahead, for a day, an hour or just this moment right now. Maybe, just maybe, by then we’d stop shivering in fear in this world we call as ours.
And what would that world be if it isn’t a home to our hearts and in others? It’s a promised land that awaits to be built by our hands — together. Because no one prosper if the whole suffers.
Have a merry (and much early) Christmas. God bless us all.
Hello. You are now reading an article written by Marisa Duma, published on 05Aug08 along with other notes on Commentaries, Personal Note, Philosophy, Video.
Still can't find the answer you're looking for?
Perhaps you'd find one from
Nice bit of writing here. THAT is why I like you(r) blog so much. I only know you from Lightbeamers. It is enough, ya? Take care. Keep writing.
And ultratupai also says Jakarta (ripping the heart from Sumatra).
LilyOfTheValley:
Hate who? We, as in?
Whoever people you’re referring to, I can only say that we are them. We are killing ourselves and each other. The society needs to learn how to heal itself, move on and walk forward. And changes have to be made along the way, good ones.
merry early Christmas, Marisa. God bless us, all.
Anyway, who was that German orphan and the tribal warrior?
And michaeljubel also says Cobalah Cium-ciuman, The Dumai Shots.
huahahahaha.. bener kan perkiraan gua bahwa elu tuh orang batak.. “Duma”. hehehe..
anyway, some says that there was someone who had come before Nommensen but Tobings killed that guy. Then after that Nommensen come. Tapi ga tau juga. Anyway, Sisingamangaraja marga apa ya?
Marisa Duma boru apa? Hehehe..