Skip to content

Alicia Lidwina

a journal of the little things that matter

Home
About Me
My Books
SHOP

Category: Illustrated Poems

Looking Back (ft. Nekonoji)

April 4, 2017April 11, 2017Leave a comment

Follow me on instagram: @alicialidwina_

LOOKING BACK

(2017)

🔸By: Alicia Lidwina🔸

Continue reading →

Posts navigation

Newer posts

Follow Blog

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 455 other followers

Search for:

Find My Book

Social Media

Twitter
Instagram
Pinterest
Goodreads

My Tweets

Instagram

[P E A C E] . We can't control what happens to us; we never know what kind of surprise awaits us just around the corner. And we all know that life is everything but easy. Sometimes it could catch us off guard and overwhelm us. . At the end of the day, however, it is entirely up to us how we respond to such problems. We could blame others for our misfortune, we could run away (from responsibilities, and sometimes, from life itself). Or we could choose to be at peace with everything. . I choose peace. I choose to be grateful for everything that happens in my life. All the good things, and all the bad things, too. And while I'm still learning to come to terms with my own share of problems, I know for sure that choosing peace will lead me to happiness, and happiness is my ultimate goal in life. . So be kind. Be peaceful. Be happy. ♥️♥️♥️

[V O T E] . Whichever side you're on, use your voting rights! Semoga siapa pun yang terpilih bisa membawa perubahan-perubahan yang lebih baik lagi bagi tanah air kita tercinta ini. . 📷: Dalam perjalanan menuju TPS.

[D E C I S I O N] . I used to be so clumsy at making decisions: what to eat, where to go, and who to hangout with. . Years ago, I wasn't able to quickly decide where to line up in a Transjakarta terminal. There could be more than one corridor that could take me to the place I want, but I'm pretty sure my past self would struggle with making even a decision as simple as this one. . Should I line up at the more crowded platform? Should I line up at the less crowded one? . The crowded platform operates in a corridor that could take me faster to my destination, but lining up at the less crowded platform means I could hop on a bus faster. . As embarrassing as it was, I know my past self wouldn't be able to make a quick decision upon seing the two lines. Was it fear that prevented me from making a decision? Was I afraid that I would be making the wrong choice? It may be so. . But was there really a "wrong choice"? While the exact routes might be different, both options take me to the same destination either way. . So maybe there is never a "wrong choice". As long as we trust our instinct; heart; gut feeling (whatever floats your boat), and as long as we take responsibilities for our decisions, I think it's OK, whichever option you pick.

[O P I N I O N] . I remember it clear as day; my mom took me to this place many years ago. I don't remember why we went to Pasar Baru exactly, but we went here for lunch. Of course, being at a tender age, I was mesmerized by almost everything, including the humble cakwe stall on the left side of the alley. I wanted to try the cakwe, especially because there were people who just swarmed the stall. I'm not sure if I instinctively knew that the place must have been good/popular for it to attract so many customers, or if I was just curious because everyone was crazy for such a simple snack. . I recall asking my mother to purchase one for me to snack on, and I remember her shaking her head firmly, saying that we went there to eat the bakmi at the very end of the alley, not to "distract ourselves with unnecessary detours". . The other day, years after my last visit, I finally got to try the infamous cakwe, and the humble stall certainly didn't disappoint! For such a simple dish, it was fried to perfection; the outermost skin developed a slight crunch when bitten, and the inside was as moist as it could be without being too greasy. The star of the show was the sambal, though. It was tart, it was sweet, and it was slightly spicy. Contrary to my mother's belief, this turned out to be so much more than just an "unnecessary detour". I'd even argue that the cakwe is a better dish overall than the bakmi at the end of the alley, especially for the price. . I wonder how many times have our opinions; desire; curiosity been denied? If my mother had listened to me and tried the cakwe with me that many years ago, I wonder what kind of difference it would bring to my life? Probably not much--miniscule, even. But at the very least, it is my firm belief that every voice must be heard. Every idea, every opinion, must be given a chance. It doesn't matter if you think your own idea is silly. Try and say it out loud--nobody will laugh at you for being brave enough to express yourselves. And who knows? You might be just an inch away from discovering something good, like how I finally revisited this little, unassuming cakwe stall in Pasar Baru.