the fox

every time i flip the pages of "the little prince", i fall in love all over again. last night at a bookstore, i stumbled across a pop-up version (MUST buy!!!) and opened a random page.. the parts about patience and responsibility touched me even more, especially on this chapter of my journey (of trying to conceive)...

-----

It was then that the fox appeared.

"Good morning," said the fox.

"Good morning," the little prince responded politely, although when he turned around he saw nothing.

"I am right here," the voice said, "under the apple tree."

"Who are you?" asked the little prince, and added, "You are very pretty to look at."

"I am a fox," the fox said.

"Come and play with me," proposed the little prince. "I am so unhappy."

"I cannot play with you," the fox said. "I am not tamed."

"Ah! Please excuse me," said the little prince.

But, after some thought, he added:

"What does that mean--'tame'?"

"You do not live here," said the fox. "What is it that you are looking for?"

"I am looking for men," said the little prince. "What does that mean--'tame'?"

"Men," said the fox. "They have guns, and they hunt. It is very disturbing. They also raise chickens. These are their only interests. Are you looking for chickens?"

"No," said the little prince. "I am looking for friends. What does that mean--'tame'?"

"It is an act too often neglected," said the fox. It means to establish ties."

"'To establish ties'?"

"Just that," said the fox. "To me, you are still nothing more than a little boy who is just like a hundred thousand other little boys. And I have no need of you. And you, on your part, have no need of me. To you, I am nothing more than a fox like a hundred thousand other foxes. But if you tame me, then we shall need each other. To me, you will be unique in all the world. To you, I shall be unique in all the world . . ."

"I am beginning to understand," said the little prince. "There is a flower . . . I think that she has tamed me . . ."

"It is possible," said the fox. "On the Earth one sees all sorts of things."

"Oh, but this is not on the Earth!" said the little prince.

The fox seemed perplexed, and very curious.

"On another planet?"

"Yes."

"Are there hunters on that planet?"

"No."

"Ah, that is interesting! Are there chickens?"

"No."

"Nothing is perfect," sighed the fox.

But he came back to his idea.

"My life is very monotonous," the fox said. "I hunt chickens; men hunt me. All the chickens are just alike, and all the men are just alike. And, in consequence, I am a little bored. But if you tame me, it will be as if the sun came to shine on my life. I shall know the sound of a step that will be different from all the others. Other steps send me hurrying back underneath the ground. Yours will call me, like music, out of my burrow. And then look: you see the grain-fields down yonder? I do not eat bread. Wheat is of no use to me. The wheat fields have nothing to say to me. And that is sad. But you have hair that is the color of gold. Think how wonderful that will be when you have tamed me! The grain, which is also golden, will bring me back the thought of you. And I shall love to listen to the wind in the wheat . . ."

The fox gazed at the little prince, for a long time.

"Please--tame me!" he said.

"I want to, very much," the little prince replied. "But I have not much time. I have friends to discover, and a great many things to understand."

"One only understands the things that one tames," said the fox. "Men have no more time to understand anything. They buy things all ready made at the shops. But there is no shop anywhere where one can buy friendship, and so men have no friends any more. If you want a friend, tame me . . ."

"What must I do, to tame you?" asked the little prince.

"You must be very patient," replied the fox. "First you will sit down at a little distance from me--like that--in the grass. I shall look at you out of the corner of my eye, and you will say nothing. Words are the source of misunderstandings. But you will sit a little closer to me, every day . . ."

The next day the little prince came back.

"It would have been better to come back at the same hour," said the fox. "If, for example, you come at four o'clock in the afternoon, then at three o'clock I shall begin to be happy. I shall feel happier and happier as the hour advances. At four o'clock, I shall already be worrying and jumping about. I shall show you how happy I am! But if you come at just any time, I shall never know at what hour my heart is to be ready to greet you . . . One must observe the proper rites . . ."

"What is a rite?" asked the little prince.

"Those also are actions too often neglected," said the fox. "They are what make one day different from other days, one hour from other hours. There is a rite, for example, among my hunters. Every Thursday they dance with the village girls. So Thursday is a wonderful day for me! I can take a walk as far as the vineyards. But if the hunters danced at just any time, every day would be like every other day, and I should never have any vacation at all."


So the little prince tamed the fox. And when the hour of his departure drew near--

"Ah," said the fox, "I shall cry."

"It is your own fault," said the little prince. "I never wished you any sort of harm; but you wanted me to tame you . . ."

"Yes, that is so," said the fox.

"But now you are going to cry!" said the little prince.

"Yes, that is so," said the fox.

"Then it has done you no good at all!"

"It has done me good," said the fox, "because of the color of the wheat fields." And then he added:

"Go and look again at the roses. You will understand now that yours is unique in all the world. Then come back to say goodbye to me, and I will make you a present of a secret."


The little prince went away, to look again at the roses.

"You are not at all like my rose," he said. "As yet you are nothing. No one has tamed you, and you have tamed no one. You are like my fox when I first knew him. He was only a fox like a hundred thousand other foxes. But I have made him my friend, and now he is unique in all the world."

And the roses were very much embarassed.

"You are beautiful, but you are empty," he went on. "One could not die for you. To be sure, an ordinary passerby would think that my rose looked just like you--the rose that belongs to me. But in herself alone she is more important than all the hundreds of you other roses: because it is she that I have watered; because it is she that I have put under the glass globe; because it is she that I have sheltered behind the screen; because it is for her that I have killed the caterpillars (except the two or three that we saved to become butterflies); because it is she that I have listened to, when she grumbled, or boasted, or ever sometimes when she said nothing. Because she is my rose.


And he went back to meet the fox.

"Goodbye," he said.

"Goodbye," said the fox. "And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."

"What is essential is invisible to the eye," the little prince repeated, so that he would be sure to remember.

"It is the time you have wasted for your rose that makes your rose so important."

"It is the time I have wasted for my rose--" said the little prince, so that he would be sure to remember.

"Men have forgotten this truth," said the fox. "But you must not forget it. You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed. You are responsible for your rose . . ."

"I am responsible for my rose," the little prince repeated, so that he would be sure to remember.

-----

source: little prince
taken from: http://www.angelfire.com/hi/littleprince/framechapter21.html

years ago...

found his pic a few weeks back, found mine last night. probably taken around the same age? it's funny how we kind of have the same kind of smile and features :)

not just keychains

a few key chains made by myself and mandy to sell at a garage sale/fund raising event dedicated to a friend who recently passed away. it was a sweet moment when we realized that it was at tornado we first (and last) met tika, it was there that we learned how to make these key chains together.

*waves at @tikuyus*

new year's resolutions

patting myself on the back for having achieved my 2 resolutions/goals last year, my close friends and i are coming up with new ones.

in addition to the 2 (bake (at least) once a month and draw tattoo), i've added one that's more general and not constricting (in a recorded way), but way more restricting in daily life, which is: spend less, shop less, be satisfied with the wardrobe you have, be thankful for it, make use of it. that in turn will save me money to travel and have additional budget for our new house.

i've tried to apply this resolution to my life in the past year (without documenting it) and i've grown quite tired of my wardrobe. mostly i've made jewelry, bought a few belts and scarves to play things up a bit. gaining some weight only slims down the choices in your closet.

but with friends as inspiration, i know i can try to do another year! this time, try to document it from time to time, to keep things interesting and just do it for the challenge :)

some of my inspirations today:

http://pakaiapa.tumblr.com/

http://ditut.tumblr.com/

http://uberfunk.tumblr.com/


-----
red ballet flats: zara. pants: xsml. belt: melawai. black camisole: giordano. pink top: zara. watch: hubby's swatch. friendship bracelet: by adis.

rainbows come after storms

i must say, the last week of 2010 and the first week of 2011 were quite tough for my family, with my father falling sick (gout) and my sister and niece both being admitted to the hospital for dengue fever. actually, tough wouldn't be the correct word. the past 2 weeks has been so fulfilling for me because i get to experience the unconditional love and security my family can provide for each other. we've grown very much closer and more solid in tough situations. serving my father whenever he needed anything, playing with my 6 year old niece, switching shifts to the hospital with my sister, doing chores and cooking with my mother. the more time i spend with my her, the more i'm at awe at how beautiful and strong and giving a person she is. she is truly superwoman. she is the definition of the very word, mother. the definition of unconditional pure love and strength. i must say i'm very blessed to be born into my family, very blessed as well to have such a supporting husband. and at the end of the first week of the new year, we've gained a new addition to our family! followed by my mother's birthday!


ps. pics from left to right: new year's eve on the front porch, fireworks above us. checking on sleeping rahma, afraid she was gonna wake in fright. finger-puppet show by rahma. straightening of hubby's hair as a punishment for failing last year's resolution. my first try at mom's addictive sweet soy sauce chicken recipe. baby niece, not-yet-named until this very second. and she's 3 days old now :)

it's been a while...

it's been 4 months since i've last posted something. i really thought it was more than that.

a quick review of what's been up:

our first ied as a married couple , finished downpayment of our house and first installment of mortgage (september), hubby's birthday (october, day consisted of massage, dinner at an irish pub, coffee at our favorite joint), our anniversary (november 15th, waking up late, duck king lunch, megamind 3D movie, coffee then bogor), collaborating on our own and first christmas tree together (december).

this past year has been such a learning experience! i'm counting my blessings each and every day :)

364th day of being 32

33. i turn 33 tomorrow. what did i do while being 32?

actually a lot.

planned our wedding, got married, became a new member of his extended family. traveled to bali, yogyakarta, manado, lombok, (bangkok and bangka were last year but i wasn't 32 yet i think.. hongkong? last year or the year before? forgot...). set up Tea for Two with my best friend. as for daily life, living with my husband definitely taught me a thing or two (or 2 hundred) about him, us and myself, our priorities, responsibilities.. and we decided to purchase a house!

it's been quite a busy year, an abundant one filled with joy and laughter. for that i'm endlessly grateful. Alhamdulillah for our health and family's, for the streaming luck and wealth of material and mind. Thank you God for the chance of living this life and having it overflowing with love.


ps. thank you God for sending to me my husband, he's a good, good man.

baby is born!

One of the resolutions this year, besides the lombok trip with the girls (that i totally scored!) is setting up this accessories line with my best friend, called Tea for Two. We actually kind of stumbled upon this project, well, we don't really know how it started, but i think we were both making hair bands and adis' piece especially was getting a lot of great feedback. they were in demand! she taught me how to make them, we made many as souvenirs for family and besties for my wedding. that was last year. As things were moving along slowly, and we both had busy lives, this project was put on hold, on and off.

To cut things short, we took it step by step, made small goals for ourselves, and we made our Tea for Two available for public last week! So far, our items have gotten good reviews, hopefully we get things going... it's tough since we're doing all the handwork ourselves, but it's so exciting and rewarding to see an item being sold, and the person receiving it happy.

here's where you can see our treats :)

http://teafortwo.asia/
http://www.facebook.com/teafortwo.xoxo
http://www.facebook.com/photos.php?id=266408231404

or follow us on twitter:
http://twitter.com/TeaforTwo_xoxo

35 Simple Ways to Be Beautiful

by Lori Deschene


“Beauty is how you feel inside, and it reflects in your eyes. It is not something physical.” ~Sophia Loren



It seems like such a cliche to say pretty is as pretty does, but the truth is physical beauty is subjective. And no matter how closely someone matches your ideal of physical perfection, that will eventually fade. What endures are the qualities, passions, and habits we nurture.That’s what makes us beautiful–and believe me when I say there is something beautiful in everyone. If you’ve done any of the following lately, you are absolutely beautiful:


1. Smile. As the quote goes, “I’ve never seen a smiling face that was not beautiful.”


2. Be there for someone who needs you even if there’s nothing in it for you–give without expectations.


3. Make a sacrifice for someone you love.


4. Admit a mistake, even if it’s hard to say you’re wrong, and work to make amends.


5. Share your struggles, putting your ego aside, to make someone else feel less alone.


6. Create something that helps people. A song, a blog, a support group, a non-profit–anything that inspires.


7. Help a child feel good about him or herself.


8. Tell someone what you appreciate about them, even if you feel vulnerable.


9. Forgive someone without needing to hear the words, “I’m sorry.”


10. Give someone an uncomfortably long hug when they need it.


10. Create positive energy around you by thinking positive thoughts and acting with positive intentions.


11. Sit with reality without judging anyone or anything.


12. Accept someone for who they are instead of trying to change them to who you want them to be.


13. Treat people like you want to be treated.


14. Notice something simple but beautiful in the world around you.


15. Acknowledge the beauty in others, instead of feeling threatened or competing with other people.


16. Be the change you want to see in the world, as per Gandhi’s suggestion.


17. Tap into your personal power and do something that makes a difference in the world.


18. Find strength in a challenging moment. It’s not easy to do, and you deserve credit for it.


19. Talk kindly about the world around you instead of gossiping or complaining.


20. Forget yourself for a minute and do nothing but listen to someone who needs it.


21. Measure a person by their best moments, not their worst.


22. Give yourself the same courtesy–focus on the good you’ve done, not the mistakes you’ve made.


23. Take the high road when someone hurts you instead if being cruel or catty.


24. Make someone laugh. A smile can literally melt stress and pain away. How beautiful of you to do that for someone else!


25. Make someone cry–tears of joy that is. People want to feel moved, inspired, motivated. Never underestimate the power of touching someone’s heart.


26. Keep an open mind instead of sticking with a judgment or assumption.


27. Love what you’re tempted to fear.


28. Be the voice of optimism when the people around you need it badly.


29. Show humility when your accomplishments would make it easy to stand above people.


30. Handle rejection or failure with grace. It’s far more easily said than done–and it sounds so cheesy and cliche–but accepting loss gracefully makes you a true winner.


31. Show unbridled enthusiasm for something that excites you. All children are beautiful, and I think their unadulterated joy has a lot to do with it.


32. Hear what someone means, not just what they say. Anyone can nitpick. Not everyone actively works to be understanding.


33. Imagine a world where people know peace, and do one small thing to create it.


34. Honor the values that matter to you. Showing integrity is the first step to feeling good about yourself.


35. Accept and love yourself–or as Ben Folds sings, “Learn to live with what you are.”


And now a disclaimer: some days you may not do anything written above–in fact, you might do the exact opposite. On those days you are still beautiful.


There are times when, like Alexander, I’m having a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. Times when it seems like I might get swept into the tornado of chaos around me. Times when the voice in my head is unkind, and I interpret everything that happens through a negative filter. When I think the worst of people and complain about it; when I expect the worst of my day and lament it.


This admission might seem like the biggest possible acknowledgment of hypocrisy, but I have nothing to give if not my honesty. And the reality is I am imperfect. We all are. We all have moments of weakness–but they’ll only define us if they far surpass moments of kindness, compassion, love, and strength.


Being beautiful doesn’t mean adhering to some picture-perfect fantasy, or living every moment that way. It means realizing this moment is a new opportunity to be who you want to be, and making the effort to seize it.


How will you be beautiful today?


copied from adis' email. just thought it'd be good to share and to remind myself, that everyone is beautiful and perfect, just the way they are.

missing

i've been missing my grandma immensely since the lombok trip, and my husband said "try to remember that she'd like you to be happy, and that she's in a better place now." i couldn't begin to imagine what he went through when he lost his father when he was just 9 years old, then losing his mother to cancer 10 years later. just thinking about the possibility of my parents dying makes my heart ache.

while you were sleeping...

apparently, you can learn a lot about yourself while you're sleeping..

especially now that i'm married, i've discovered a few things:

1. that sometimes i sleep with my mouth slightly open (and hubs gladly snaps a pic at every opportunity)
2. turns out i sometimes snore, softly. i must've been very, very, very tired.
3. that i take up 3/4 of the bed, and sleep diagonally every chance i get.

thanks for the info (and pics) hubs. grmbl.

the question on mates for your soul.

do you believe? in soul mates?

i used to, until recently.

in the past, i've had friendships and relationships which i thought were "meant to be". chemistry was evident, instant attraction obvious. somehow those friend/relationships expired. just like that. i know i must be thankful to have had that instant connection while it lasted.

and now, as i can say i've had some experience in those, and reflect on them, i've come to realize that most of my (lasting) friend/relationships are not so obvious, are rough around the edges and need some (sometimes a lot of) work. all the while, making them more valuable.

for example, my best friend and i, we've been friends for almost 15 years. we first met by accident and necessity, became room mates, trip mates, pen pals, best friends. we're practically family. it takes a lot of toleration on her part, actually i'm not sure why she sticks by me. if she didn't i'd have stalked her. just kidding 'dis. uhm, not really.

i wouldn't say my husband and i are soul mates, at least, not in the obvious way. i would like to think we had chemistry when we conversed eye to eye the first time, but nothing about us was instant. i'm only a little bit interested in the things he's obsessed over, although i support him (and his hobbies) with all my heart, even if it drives me nuts. he says "cool!" with a two-thumbs up and asks "what is it?" as i show him my crafting projects. he buys me shelves and storage for my crafting mess. i'm a morning person, he's a night-owl. we do have common interests, like sleep and food and our future.

all i know is that we love each other and are committed to making us work.

... may be that's the definition of soul mates.

what's in a name?

he's a name picked out. wow. that's big.

either or

being married either feels like you're on vacation together, or in a long-distance relationship.

i miss my husband. bad.

thursday love letter 2

dear you,

it's been almost 5 months (and a total of 3 years together) and i can't get enough of the way you look at me, even when i look like a total mess. the way you touch my hair, even though it's coarse, you treat it with special care. and when i go to sleep, i can't wait to see you smile when i wake you. i wish you could feel what i'm feeling. i wish i could dive inside your head and heart to see your thoughts, especially when we're both being stubborn. i think you're the better cook between us, and i'm glad you're the kind of man who'll gladly do chores and throw out the garbage. that's how it should be :P

love you,
wifey


ps. how sexy is that? my man giving his woman a foot rub

you

i want to love you.
i can't help but to love you.
for all the right (and wrong) reasons.
and for no reason at all.

ini dia kuncinya!

ingin mencoba melakukan segalanya dengan ikhlas. setiap saat.

aku perlu banyak belajar!


ps. kamulah inspirasiku

it's funny how time flies, not just when you're having fun, but as you get older.

2009 was a lively year, full of love, laughter and travel. also a few cries. but that's how life is, it has to be balanced. i understand that. it was also a year of new commitments, change and hope. a year i strengthened bonds with family and friends. a year i gained 2 sets of big, warm and loving families who welcomed me with open arms. a year i had 2 parties of a lifetime. my year when 2 became 1+1.

this past new year's eve was our 4th together, and our 1st being a married couple. the year starts off with fireworks, hugs and kisses from my darling husband and dear friends, and goes on with a wonderful trip to yogyakarta. what have i to complain about?

i am very very lucky, God, i can't thank you enough :)

in sickness

last weekend was the first time since getting married, that i got really sick. he patiently rubs my lower back until i fall asleep. i actually sleep the whole night through. and in the morning, everything's better.

could it be... that i may have gotten sick because i can't stand to be away from him for more than one night?

;)

last first kiss

never did i think that that first kiss would be my last first kiss.

it surely was something, and now i get to have it everyday.

:)