Deki - What is a family?

tired--- sleepy--- hungry---

but happy, as long as we stick together

@--->------------

A family is a place where minds come in contact with one another.
If these minds love one another, the home will be as beautiful as a flower garden.
But if these minds get out of harmony with one another, it is like a storm that plays havoc with the garden.

(The Buddha)

(Photo:) Me, while still fat, with the kids :)

A family is heaven in a heartless world

We don't choose our family. Each time a baby comes, it is a gift of love. It is a karma tie that glue us together, and in it there is a strong bond that parents and kids should hold dear.

It is the place where the kids first learned how to limit their wishes, live by the rules, and consider the rights and needs of other people.

Therefore let us always remember, no matter what life brings us, and where it takes us to, and that no matter when we can still hold on to each other, we should feel grateful and lucky, we've grown together and lived together in this life, thanking all life's sweet little surprises, both pleasant and unpleasant. And that in this life, we are given the opportunity to cultivate love and compassion, not only for each other, but also for others.

Our family means to rejoice for each member's happiness, and to comfort one who is coping with unhappiness. And our family is the STRENGTH that we can always feel in our most difficult time.

So keep the value and be supportive of one another.

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You come when I need you

Koko Herman dan Cici Nila

Siapa yang selalu siap datang membantu saya dan keluarga setiap kali kami membutuhkan seseorang yang penuh kasih sayang dan perhatian?

Siapa yang selalu siap memberikan kata-kata menghibur dan nasehat yang menyejukkan ketika saya merasa terpuruk?

Siapa yang selalu membesarkan hati ketika saya sudah merasa diujung dan tidak menemukan jalan lagi?

Siapa yang membuat orangtua saya (ide) merasa senang, tenang, aman dan nyaman saat beliau memerlukan teman bicara, atau pergi mengunjungi tempat-tempat yang ingin dilihatnya?

Siapa lagi kalau bukan Cici dan Koko?

Setiap hari yang berlalu, betapapun panasnya, atau malam dengan gelapnya, terasa melegakan, bila saya ingat "saya masih punya kalian berdua!!" Bukan cuma kalian berdua, tapi Kalian Sekeluarga!

Sebenarnya saya merasa kalian bukan hanya sebagai cici dan koko, tetapi sudah seperti orangtua sendiri, tempat saya bercerita, berkeluhkesah, bertanya, dan mengeluarkan segala detail yang tidak mungkin saya "share" dengan yang lain, bahkan dengan saudara biologis sendiri....

Terimakasih, kalian sudah membuat saya merasa "I'm not alone".

You listen when I need to talk, and you talk when I need to listen.....

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Loving Memory of Bella

Bella's Only Love

for Daichi

Nana and baby Prilly

"Nice.. blown dry after bathing"

Once upon a time....

There was a beautiful puppy, aged 3 months old coming to our family.

According to her birtrh certificate, her name was BELLA which means Beautiful in Italian.

Her mother was a Japanese Pomeranian and the father was of the same kind from Surabaya

Bella and her newborn baby, Prilly

Bella (left) and her first and only love Daichi (right)



Daichi growing up together with Bella

Infant Prilly, soundly sleeping

Prilly in action

Prilly a bit rough, on my lap

She was a Pomeranian. Cute, good, silent, shy, adorable, and liked to be cuddled so much. Very close to Deki and Nana. She had been "single" for almost 10 years old until we finally found a match for her: Miki (read: Mai Ki).

But to our surprise, she didn't seem to love him all her life. (Perhaps she had loved Daichi only, our first Puppy with whom she grew up together, and who died of Leptospirosis a few years afterwards).

For many times we saw Miki try hard attract her to mate her, and yet never succeeded. Bella was too "rough" for him in protecting herself from Miki's sexual approach.

It was a frustration, not only for Miki but also for us who were waiting for a chance for Bella to have babies from him!

One day, Miki got sick. We went to the vet. and found out that Miki had lost his penis! It sounded funny but strange! The vet. and we thought that it must have been Bella! It could be that for once Miki tried to mate her, but because she would avoid him as usual, but that he forced her, Bella attacked back and possibly bit off the penis. Then it got infected.

A few months later while Miki had got some treatment from some vets, one early morning, I heard small queeks. I thought it was Bella. But then Deki found Bella trying to bite off a string-like thing that connected her with a mouse-like thing! Its coloured was dark and was wet. Then Deki said, "Bella has a baby!".......

Everyone suddenly stopped doing things to see what was happening in Bella's cage. Yes, I saw a tiny baby being thrown from one side to another, up and down. The baby squeeked on and on. Bella was trying to cut the cord off.

A few minutes later, while I was preparing a basket for Bella and her baby, I just realized, we had never known when she first got pregnant! And the father to the baby must have been Miki. Poor Miki! He had no chance to mate any other female dogs anymore...

The baby was named Prilly, more to remind us of the month she was born (April). It was amazing to see Prilly grow, and to see her able to progress, from a tiny thing to a beautiful naughty puppy. She was given away to a friend and we never heard of her anymore.

But Bella continued to live with us until she got very old with only one tooth left, and eyes getting blind. Her voice seemed to also disappear. But she knew well we loved her no less.

One day, at dawn, our gardener Wagi, who had taken care of Bella's cage everyday, found Bella dead in her cage. She had got a good life, blessed love from everyone of us. I hope, if there is life after death, she would have another happier life and a mate pleasant to her. I know she had never liked Miki.

Her body was covered with a piece of pure white cloth and was burried in the grave on a piece of ground near our house. Her grave was covered by colourful flowers picked from my mother's garden. She would rest in peace.

* * *

Kids - What are sons and daughters to the father, and mother?

Kata Master Cheng Yen:

"Tidak ada anak yang tidak bisa dididik.

Yang ada adalah: Orangtua yang tidak tahu

bagaimana mendidik anaknya"

Benar apa yang dikatakan beliau. Mama hanya ingin menambahkan,

orangtua sebenarnya banyak belajar mendidik anaknya dari anak itu sendiri. Secara langsung ataupun tidak, sejak bayi, kalian sudah banyak mengajarkan kami, orangtua, bagaimana harus melatih kesabaran, keuletan, dan ketelatenan sambil terus menjaga kesehatan supaya bisa merawatmu, membesarkanmu, dan mendidikmu.

Terimakasih atas kesempatan yang kalian berikan kepada kami di dalam hidup ini, untuk menjadi orangtuamu. Selamanya kalian adalah orang pertama yang menempati hati dan pikiran kami. Selamanya kalian yang terpenting di dalam hidup ini.

Kalian baru akan tahu apa arti putra-putri bagi ayah-ibunya bila kalian sudah menjadi orangtua bagi putra-putrimu sendiri kelak.

Semoga selalu sehat dan bahagia.

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Australia - Sydney, Blue Mountains Aboriginal Arts and Cultures

Unique look, life, history, and culture

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Deki - "I will do it myself"

I remember the time when I was young...


I had hardly seen you wearing a new shirt or t-shirt. This way I saw the simplicity in you, but when you appeared in a new shirt or t-shirt, you would say, "This is from ...(who and who)" You never said something like "Yes, I bought it in ... (somewhere and somewhere)"

And yet I saw things you wore such tidy and neat. Yes, I heard from your sister years later that you always had your clothes ironed yourself, because you may have thought that no one could do it better than you did.... ! Wow! I thought you would do it because you didn't want to trouble anyone else!!

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Kids - What should a son be?

Ananta,

Like Douglas MacArthur did and every father in the world wishes their sons to be, your father also wishes that you will be strong enough to know when you are weak. And brave enough to face yourself when you are afraid.

He always hopes you will be proud and unbending when you are defeated honestly. And you will be humble and gentle in every victory.

He wants you to have a better future than he had done his, and wants you to run much faster than he has done. He also wants you to treat people nicer, more honest, more gentle, more educatedly, than he has done. Your words to others should be much more polite. And your compassion to them should be more real than papa has taught you by his examples.

Remember what his words often says to you:
"Besides that you can afford yourself without having to ask from others, if you have more money, the luckiest side is that you have a chance to help more people".

Papa says, "It's very sad to see someone suffering, but it's much sadder if at the same time we are unable to help him/her".

So be diligent to earn your life, not for wanting to merely enjoy wealth itself but to enjoy sharing it with those in need. That way you will feel the real meaning of contentment.

Keep this in your mind while you are living your life and continuing to go along your path.

**********

Australia - Melbourne, Phillip Island

Sleeping Koala @ Koala Conservation Center

Ketika saya melihatnya pertama kali, terasa sedikit merinding, karena ternyata Koala yang sedang tidur di pohon Eucalyptus, sejenis pohon kayu putih, punya cakar yang cukup menyeramkan: panjang, agak melengkung ke dalam, dan panjang. Tentu saja ia punya cakar seperti itu, kalau tidak, bagaimana dia akan menahan tubuhnya sendiri di atas pohon kalau dia sedang tertidur pulas selama 21 jam sehari?

Walaupun menyeramkan, kalau kita perhatikan lebih dekat, wajahnya sangat lucu, imuuut, dan selalu menimbulkan kesan "memelas"... jauh dari kesan buas. Bulunya yang tampak halus, lembut, memang tak ubahnya boneka koala yang pernah saya miliki dulu... hadiah dari seorang teman dekat.

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Canberra Center - A Precious Moment with you

Icil sorangan wae' di Canberra Center...

Bersyukur, bisa ajak Icil ke sini.

Semoga cepat sembuh dan kuat kembali

Kapan-kapan kita bisa pergi lagi ya

The Dalai Lama's

Holly dan Icil

Nana - Wirya foto bersama

tante Holly dan Ipoh Betty
HK Disney Land

Two closest relatives I love best

May you always stay well, healthy and happy!

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