Filosofi Teras

I have read many book and almost all of them are fiction. For me reading novels is a remedy whenever I feel tired. But lately, I’m into self-improvement book. I should’ve do earlier, but better late than never.

So, my favorite book for this moment is Filosofi Teras. A book by Henry Manampiring which talks about stoicism (filsafat Stoa). This book doesn’t only tell the stoicism’s principals but also how to do it in daily life. The author also tell his experiences as he tries to be a stoic. When it can be applied, how to do it, how it can change his life and many more.

For me, this book is a life changing book. It gives me new insight about how to be happy and how to be chill through life. I love almost all the topics. But if I may tell you some of my favorite topic, then here we go.

> “Have courage and be kind” We have to be kind. Despite the feedback or what other did to us, choose to be kind. Because we are designed to be it.

> “Some things are up to us, some things are not up to us” - Epictetus (Enchiridion). Our happiness only based on the things that are up to us, which are the things we can control. There are so many things we can’t control and they should not matter to our happiness, including people’s judgement to us. It’s important for me.

> You have power over your mind, not outside events. Realize this and you will find strength.” - Marcus Aurelius (Meditations). It’s all in our mind. How we see one thing matters the most. 

Honestly there are many more interesting things in this book. Trust me, this is a fun and enlightening book. You have to read it. Maybe I’ll talked about this book more later.

My Favorite TV Series

Descendants of The Sun it is. Well, it is a 2016 South Korean TV series. We often call it by korean drama / drakor. Basically, it is a love story between Korean Special Forces named Captain Yoo Shi Jin, and a surgeon doctor, named Kang Mo Yeon. Their love story begins when they are stuck in Uruk.

What makes it so special is the series was the series aired right when I had my high school national examination. It perfectly ruin the examination atmosphere. My friends and I were really excited for every episode. Everytime the new episode aired, we had to watch it as soon as posible. We really can not wait.

Then, after the new episode aired and we all already watched it, we’ll talked about it. As soon as we arrived at school, we were not studying. We were talking about the new episode. We didn’t care about the exam. It wasn’t even like an exam week! 

But it is a good memory. My friends and I became so close because of the K-drama. After we graduated from high school, we often arranged some times to catch up on our holiday. That series made me find another bestfriends for me.

One and Only Sist

My little sister is the one and only sibling of mine. She is two years younger than me. We spend almost 24/7 together. 

She is an all-food-is-good person. Give her any food you have, she’ll eat that and say it’s delicious. There are only “this is good” and “this is very good” for her.

She is a korean drama lover. She could binge watching a korean drama all day long. Even she could rewatch any drama for many times. She also really enjoy korean reality show. In this quarantine months, everytime I hear her laugh, it’s obviously she is watching the korean reality show.

Not only she likes to sing, she also like to watch singing competition. She could rewatch singing competition videos for hundred times. One day, she forced me to watch a video of a singing competition contestant. “You have to see this. This is my favorite.” Then I watched it. After that, she forced me to watch another video and  said “This is my favorite, too.” After that, she changed to another video and said “This is also my favorite.” And it happened for like 50 times. “This is my favorite” for 50 times. Huft, yeah, that’s my sister. 

After all, she is the perfect sister I ever need. She is like a friend that lives with me. We could do many things together and have so much fun! I’d like to know something about your siblings, too. Write me some on the comment! 

Bestfriend

Back to several years ago, I had a bestfriend. I’m not going to tell you the name, let’s just call my bestfriend “A”. I forgot how we can get along. But A was a kind and fun friend for me. I put my trust on A. I told A many things. As A also told me many things.

Long story short, A did one thing I never think of. One thing that made me so so disappointed. One thing that for the old me was a sin. One thing that made me mad. I tried to tell A “the right thing”. But A didn’t hear me. I hated A so much. I chose to leave and didn’t want to talk to A.

Years go by and we finally talk again just life before. I realized that I was like an evil. I only thought that I was right and A was wrong. I thought life was only black and white. In fact, life is full of colors. It was me that can’t admit it. It was me that can’t appreciate the difference.

Then, one big thing happened and opened my eyes. Someone I thought “a right person”, made a fault I hate the most. While A talked to me sincerely. A even told me something that is 180 degrees different from what that “right person” did. I felt something in my heart. Just like there is a chemicals shed to my heart. 

It slapped me hard in the face and taught me that it is not the religion that make a person kind. It is the person itself. Whatever the religion is, if they want to be a kindhearted human being, then they will. If a person want to be mean, whatever the religion is, they will still be mean.

I come to the conclusion. It is not the religion that matter. It is how they treat other human being that matters. That’s all. Period.

And yes, it’s now good between me and A. I only wish the best thing and all happiness for A. As I wish it to my other bestfriends, too.

Happiness

 I’ve been in a point where I thought I would be happy if I could buy all things I want. It was all about stuffs. I told myself to work hard in the future to buy all the things I love. Bags, shoes, gadgets, clothes, makeups.

As the time goes by, my definition of happiness changes. Happiness is in my mind. It’s not about the things I don’t have. It’s about the things I already have and how I can be grateful for them. It doesn’t matter how many things I don’t have, I still can choose to be happy. As long as I have what I need, not what I want. I learn that to be happy is not all about material. I won’t deny it. Of course we need money. But there’s another thing we need.

Peace it is. For me, peace means you are grateful for everything and nothing can ruin it. Not a single comment on your social media. Not an opinion from your friend. Not a post that belongs to your friend. It is when you can control you emotion. Even though no one listen to you. Even though someone doesn’t appreciate your work. Even though things don’t always go the way you want to. You still can find one good point in a bad situation. It is when you find peace.

This pandemic teach me that happiness is not always a big thing. Even though I have to let go some of my dreams and my plans, I have something to be grateful. My family, my friends and I are all in a good condition. We are all healthy. That’s the most important thing now. And that’s my happiness now.

I am not trying to teach you all. I just want to remind you. When you are healthy and surrounded by the people you love, count them as a blessing and know that it is a happiness too.