By the time I write this, the year 2011 almost comes to its end and the New Year eve is about to emerge. And as a habit or tradition to welcome the New Year, people tends to make resolution to reflect goals, wishes and hopes they’d love to achieve in the forthcoming year.
I’m not that particular kind of person actually, who mostly love to make reflection upon everything they’ve done in the past year as well. I entered this year with no resolution whatsoever. Yet, the year came out as an exceptional one for me, and therefore, made me decided to write this short journal with gratitude.
The highlight of this year journey of mine has to be the two trips I made in the last couple of months. I’m not so fond to travel to be honest, I find it as a financially waste of money. I make trip only for business or to meet people I know – mostly relatives. Seldom for pleasure. And to have two trips in a single year is a luxury for sure.
An Unplanned Trip to Ancestral Land
The first trip occurred in the early of October. An unplanned one since it significantly altered from the initial plan, which was a simple visit to see my brother’s family who was expecting their second daughter. Even I wasn’t included in the plan since it should have been a mother and daughter trip, where I later replaced my hesitate sister. And just two days before leaving, we had to change our course after hearing the news that one of my uncle who lives in my dad’s homeland in Timor island, Indonesia passed away and we were kindly asked to pay our tribute there first.
It was only my second visit there. I don’t remember much from my first visit since I was only four back then. So, after the funeral, we didn’t waste much time and visited dad’s childhood house in Camplong – where he and some of his siblings grew up – on the next day. An abandoned one – since nobody lives there anymore – with both of my grandpa and grandma’s tombs on its yard. We also didn’t waste the chance to visit grandpa and the rest of my ancestors’ land in Oeltua, where we were able to see my great grandpa and great grandma’s graveyards as well.
Thus, to meet relatives and friends, and to listen to the history of my family while witnessing where the events took place has become a precious experience to me. Even the delayed visit to my brother afterwards turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as we’re not visiting an expectant mother any longer, yet, a visit to a newborn baby instead. Something we’d surely miss if things went out according to our plan.
Yes, God turned my aunt’s loss into my mom’s gain, as she couldn’t hold her grateful tears from falling a while after leaving her newborn granddaughter’s place at the end of our trip. Back at home, my sister couldn’t hide her regret for her refusal to come along. Her loss is my gain. From there, I learn how sincerity brings God’s favour. My mom and I left our work and daily activity without hesitation for two weeks and I cannot count how much blessing has been poured upon us afterwards.
A Christmas Trip to Birthplace
The second trip took place recently in late December. No, it’s not a holy land tour to Betlehem. But, it’s my first ever visit to my birthplace in Batu. The perfect time! As Christmas will always be the best season to visit any birthplace. I have no memory at all about the city as I was only a couple of months old when we left the place and moved to Bogor where we live now.
This time, I went with dad and mom – who showed the route to the two houses where we lived for two years where dad finishing his Bachelor degree – along with my brother – who had a wonderful childhood there. The perfect company! We also met some old neighbours whom we never met for years, and a glance visit to the hospital where mom gave labour to me and my sister.
Later back at home, mom said that I’ve made a complete journey this year indeed. And I could agree more with her as I’ve visited the house grandpa built along with the dreams he built for his children, a place which will always be called home by our family. I’ve witnessed someone died and another was born, someone mourned and another rejoiced on a same trip. And last but not least, a visit to the place where dad began fulfilling his dreams for his young family.
Somehow, when you are on a wilderness, you’ll find your journey ahead better after knowing where you came from. And the journey becomes much more relieving after knowing that you are on God’s path whilst experiencing the truth that His path is better than yours. I cannot find any better words best to describe this journal rather to what is written on the book of Ecclesiastes – which I saw on a frame hanging on my brother’s house wall:
“To everything there is a season,
A time for every purpose under heaven:
A time to be born,
And a time to die;
A time to weep,
And a time to laugh;
A time to mourn,
And a time to dance;
He has made everything beautiful in its time.”
Tags: 2011, 2012, Ecclesiastes, Journey, New Year, Travel, Trip
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