( Reposting from my old blog at Multiply – now that I am a mother myself, understand what my mother had to go through raising me and my sister. Makasih Ibu. Happy (Indonesian) Mother’s Day or  Selamat Hari Ibu! )
Pieces of myself from the past. Thank you mom for your unconditional love to make me the way I am today. Take it to the next level, it’s not about what I know or don’t know, it’s about how I should answer to Life.

When I refused to go to school, coz I was afraid of the outside world
You sat through the class with me, in that tiny red wooden bench made for dwarves – cutting colorful papers and singing along with a bunch of midgets. I still couldn’t believe the sort of things you had to put up with…..
(Jaman gw masih TK dulu nyokap musti ikutan ‘sekolah’, ikutan duduk di kelas, pokoknya harus disamping gw, ikutan tepuk tangan nyanyi bareng & mewarnai gambar. Secara dulu gw tuh takuuuut banget ditinggal nyokap. Separation anxiety buat gw rada lama ilangnya. Masih tetep lengket sama nyokap biarpun udah 5 taun lebih)

When my thirst for stories & adventure was more than bedtime reading
You taught me how to read. I finished reading  my  first 255-page book when I was only 5 yrs old. It was that “Little House on the Prairie”
(yang versi Indonesia nya lah)
(Nyokap is the beeesstt…..  secara gitu waktu masuk SD, temen2 lain baru pada mulai belajar baca ‘Ini ibu Budi’, gw udah nenteng buku tebel Laura Ingalls)

When I had my first crush
You bought me a diary – that one with ‘pacman’ pictures, rainbow pages and a lock? Remember, mom?
(Yang jelas malu lah kalo dibahas isinya sekarang. Kemana ya tuh si Pacman?)

When you were called to the principle’s office one day because of my first crush incident……
You listened to the entire story and thought it was cute
** I was in the second grade and just proposed to a boy in my class — I think his name is Brett, to be my fiance, with a dummy gold ring bought from “abang-abang tukang balon”. Everyone in school knew about it.
(Dasar gila, dari kecil senengnya ngajakin temen cowo kawin lari. Cerita berakhir happy ending setelah berhasil nembak duluan cowo ganteng 5 taun yang lalu, berlutut dengan modal nekat dan cincin emas putih satu mata. Racunnya anak-anak dari Nature Trekker)

When I hated my sister coz she copied everything I did
You told me about sharing and nurturing
** …. and it works mom, I had lead 14 staff in the office. Thank you :-*

When I failed that scholarship for AFS student exchange
You still thought I was the best!!!
** Was one of the only 2 candidates left for posting in Japan – just me and him, and all they told me was “Now, it’s just how much you are willing to pay your way in, because the other candidate’s parents are willing to pay so-and-so” …. remember that, mom?

When I had to choose between school or work
You told me to do what I think is best. You would be behind me all the way
(Ah, si ibu emang de beeeeeessstttt……..)

When I told you I made up my mind to take a job overseas for the first time
You were sad, but still encouraged me to pursue my dreams
*There were only 6 young girls at that time, packed & ready at the airport looking forward to the biggest adventure of our lives. Overseas job in Jordan

From then on I start to live ‘away’ from you, pursuing my dreams
…. but you’re always there, supporting me, waiting for me with open arms and make sure that I would always have a HOME to come back to…..