A dear one (Sevilya) asked me recently: "You no longer write blog entries, I used to love reading them, it was a way to get inside your life, your travels and feelings." In her usual gentle style of communication, she left it there, without adding "I wish you wrote!":)
I have been having writing issues. I've been having privacy concerns (not that I've things to hide but I guess I am at the opposite end of where social media personas live). I simply intend to keep it quiet and modest, sharing things only with a few selected friends, not polluting the social media or invade screen time.
The reason why I am typing this is the fact that I actually found an essay that I submitted to USD newsletter after they invited me to their Sarajevo Conference in 2015. To my shock, 10 years passed and I created the opportunity to return to Sarajevo last year, rented an airbnb, met wonderful people, visited places etc. I wanted to share this essay with a potential traveler and realized that it is no longer on the official site but only here on this blog. It was a relief and push for me to return to my 'digital archives' or diaries.
Secondly, I'm in a new country, using up the last chunk of the research fund that I received from Sallie Bingham. More and more, I confess to myself whether it is time to move on to another chapter in life. My love for reading, observing, and writing will probably never leave me but it might be time to pause. It is the difficulty of capturing the essence of my own feelings as well as the realistic and vivid impressions of the place or the people (Indonesia). In any case, I have to push myself really hard to write.
Sallie Bingham's discipline in writing regularly at the age of 85 is admirable to say the least. I bet it is also among the secrets to her health and energy. A reason to live, perhaps. I thought I was like that too. But I no longer feel so. The platforms have changed dramatically when we talk about the books, the readership, the AI and even the youtube made ME lazier, to begin with. Who am I to criticize others, the younger ones, the students who use ChatGpt and ask for the summary of everything?
I am grateful that Bumi Langit permaculture was recommended to me by Iqbal Barkat and Koki, our guests from Sydney last summer. I am also grateful to my persistent and long-term planner-self, a dreamer who intended to spend the March of 2025 here months ago. Iskandar Waworuntu (1954) is the founder and I had the most distinguished time with him over several dinners and celebrated his birthday on March 01st with his family and friends, I just happened to be there. I respect and admire people with a mission, people with a lot of life experiences, critical mind, and YET they know exactly where they are heading to and why (in terms of the lifestyle). Pak Iskandar is one of them and Sallie Bingham is another. They are both religious-spiritual people too, and I don't think that it is a coincidence.
 |
| Anis and I in Jogja, Eid (April 2025) |
Hiç yorum yok:
Yorum Gönder