It Is (Not) A Great Comeback

I told you months ago that I was going to leave this blog in order to be productive, at least, in the real life by writing papers or poem. In fact, I could not. I was doing otherwise. I should have been realized that writing was the part of my life, by all means, this blog.

So here I am, making a not so great comeback. There is so many things I would love to share, from my 6 (six) weeks experience travelling through States, teaching middle school's students, to finally be lost in another maze. But before that, in this very moment, something is bothering my mind. I keep asking myself: "What is the aim of doing good? Does it ethical or morally justified if we do good in order to make a payback to ourselves? What about the idea of legacy, does it make us self-centered if we are doing good deeds so people will remember us for what we do?

Disccussion about the idea of legacy comes to my circle lately, it makes me think further. Research shows adults loses meaning of their life that the idea gives a glimpse of hope to their everyday life. It brings great impact to society as their attempt to practice good deeds that direct society to better place; scholars named it as everyday peace(building). It occurs to me that the possibility to bring love and joy into your life and lives of others and bringing it into a model that sustain can make us feel important and worthwhile.

Then other question arises, does it make less meaningful if we do it also for our self-interest? That every good things we do can possibly lead us to our false consciousness because we want others to see us as changemakers or good people? I proudly say it isn’t. You know why? We can only bring peace when we feel gratified within, and that won’t happen if we couldn’t overcome the conflict within ourselves, if we couldn’t tranverse our own guilt, regret, anger and shame that eat our consciousness. If it’s still there, whatever we do won’t be able to make us feel content, including doing good for others.

It leads me to a temporary conclusion that “legacy is made not only in works, but also in relationship with other people,” nourish that, like Osho said in one of his parable about flower. If you love the flower, don’t pick it up, water it everyday, you watch it grow, you give yourself into their process of being. That’s how life works, and it’s the same to each and every of us. We can choose to continue filling the void with anything we pretend can make us happy, but we would feel rotten inside and end up hurting those whom we love.

We can’t deny the fact that healing always starts with one simply realisation: being significant is entitled, the process happens in the perpetual state of being grateful, that whatever happens in the cultural learning between interpretation and representation, yours are made upon routine behavior that is given by your surroundings. So, if your head tells you otherwise, trying to discourage you, befriend with them because you know yours are contiuum, a whole made up of many parts. In every parts, there’s always a range that is always present, and it requires others to exist.

For that reason, I encourage my students in the NGO & International Development class to make this project happening: PEACE WALK PROJECT with theme #KITAMINORITAS. Last year, we were succeed with our EDUCATION PROGRAM and having AriReda here in Salatiga with us, breaking the the general assumption that class project was boring, we kind of nailed it. So I want to repeat it again this year, surely with the perfect reason: to mainstream the culture of peace in school and university. I have this idea after got back from Mindanao last year. I remember delivering this presentation in front of Katy Matsui, a Professor from Japan in Mainstreaming Peace Education class. Luckily, this year, I've been granted a scholarship from Department of State for Religious Pluralism, SUSI (Study in the US Institutes), that helped me preparing for this project. With the theme "WE ARE MINORITY" I am hoping that we are willing to see from other perspective, to be on our bended knee and see what's below us, so we can finally avoid being exclusive in our community. To be inclusive is the aim, furthermore to confirm one's prejudice towards another religious groups. For example, to the adherence of Kejawen, Sapto Darmo, Parmalim or any other local religions which is mistakenly considered as heretical. 

You may think that it is my idea, but I would say all credit goes to my students. I just passed them the ball and I know they're the one who will score. Living in this city for almost 3 (three) years brings me around that there is a model of tolerance and sustainable peace here, and that comes from young people. This project will be held in December and involving 70 students, also 20 participants. We will do focus group discussion with 8 (eight) religious groups, and will invite 20 participants in study visit to 4 (four) religious groups to learn further about their communities.

If you happen to be around, please join. If not, please kindly spread the words. I and the students  would be more than happy to welcome you to sow our understanding and fight the biased that comes, so we can actually lessen the raising intolerance that happens in our country.

With love,

Jessy Ismoyo