LEBARAN

       Wow, the third week of August is already passed bye, how's the time flies. For me this past three week was like a pack of hectic and a long list full of schedule that need my full attention, I felt grateful that I had a week of tranquility and recharging my energy. After fasting in Ramadhan Muslims around the world including me celebrate Idul Fitri, more commonly referred to in Indonesia as Lebaran, is the celebration that comes at the end of the Muslim month of fasting, Ramadhan. The Arabic meaning of Idul Fitri is “becoming holy again”. It's special religious observance is the Eid holiday, in Indonesia, this is the time when Muslims visit their family and friends to ask for forgiveness for any wrongs they have committed in the previous year. They express this wish in the phrase “Mohon Maaf Lahir Batin” which means "forgive me from the bottom of my heart/soul for my wrongdoings in the past year". A traditional Arabic (Muslim) greeting for the Eid celebrations is also commonly used in Indonesia "Minal Aidin Wal Fa Idzin", which is expressed upon meeting friends and family during the festive days. Traditional foods are consumed, family and friends gather to ask forgiveness and exchange greetings, new clothing is worn, children receive gifts of money and visits are made to recreational parks -- all to celebrate the successful completion of the fasting month.

       My Lebaran Holidays was festive enough and I had a blast meeting and gathering with the extended family members and all relatives, more over the place where our big family stayed at my grandpa and one of my aunt place are near at the foot at one of the mountain in west Java, Indonesia, where the air more fresh and not as polluted as Jakarta, the peoples are more friendly and the traffic, well it's Lebaran holidays, so it was expected to see traffic jams everywhere. But that was a week of recharging my spirit and energy, cleansing my mind from all the stressing things and relaxing my body from the hectic rhythm, I felt tranquilized & refreshed. So, still in the Lebaran occasion and the spirit of forgiveness still in the air, I want to say "Mohon Maaf Lahir Batin" to each and everyone of you, maybe without I'm realizing, I hurt you through my actions, speech or through my writing, I didn't mean to hurt anyone, but if I did, please open your heart to forgive me.

       Lebaran holidays was a blessing and an eventful holiday in Indonesia and Muslims around the World, reconnecting the 'smear dot' of our bond with our family, relatives, friends and everyone that matters to us. Let's try to buried all out hatchet and turning a new leaf with the spirit to be a better person, to our self, to our love one, family and friends. Let's make other months like Ramadhan, good deeds after good deeds and do that because it's simply made us lighter, happier, better and you know that in your heart that you'll make other peoples happy too and God will double, triple, and so on whatever we feel, it's a blessed in every layers. I'm still hoping and praying hard that the war would end, soon and every one can see eye to eye that we all are human, brothers, sisters and we all the same in God eyes, what made the difference in God eyes are our good deeds. Let's do whatever we can to make a difference, a good difference, one step at a time. Keep doing what you are doing with the spice of good deeds every here and there, one step at a time and we all good to go, refreshed and reinvigorated. Last but not least I want to say happy belated Lebaran day for everyone.