If We Have Never Tried

What if we have never tried? Don’t we realize that this country has been sustained by those courageous and determined people? They must have been through years and tears. They would rather overcome than avoid any circumstance. What they believe is: “You will find a way if you want.” They might get wandered, but they tried, and tried. And they made it. They had gone beyond the boundaries. They are the ones who have great influence to this world. And what about us?

We need to look at the President of America, John F. Kennedy. Do you know what he had been dreaming of for over 50 years? Fly to the moon. Many doubted him: “Is it possible? Is there any resource? Is the technology available?” But he still kept his dream. “We have already crossed over Atlantic and reached the highest mountain, Mount Everest. So man must be able to fly his society to the moon”, he said. And what happened later? In 1969, there was the first person that successfully landed to the moon, Neil Armstrong. Since that, America has become the pioneer of aerospace. Hat it never tried, it would remain behind Russia in outer space.

Tri Rismaharini can also be an exemplary. She bravely ended the prostitution in Surabaya by closing all the brothels. As many were against her, it later turned out into a strife, notably on June 18th, 2014 while the Dolly was going to be closed. But she just went through those all without doubt. She even told once to let her go whether she died due to such circumstances. “Dolly’s closure will break the chain of prostitution in Surabaya, and human trafficking cases minors can be eradicated,” she said (Jakarta Post, May 7th, 2014). Daren’t she bear the discouragement, how else?

Still, there is another example too. Take a look on our Vice President of Indonesia, Jusuf Kalla, who had become the initiator of reconciliation in Aceh, Ambon, and Poso for years. On the Mata Najwa broadcast two days ago, he said that conflict in those regions happened because the feeling of being treated unjustly. “They became sore, lost trust, and then acted severly”, he added. According to him, 5000 people died as the conflict in Ambon had occurred for 3 years (1999 – 2002). “We tried to settle with this conflict in a fortnight”, he added. Hadn’t he carried out everything, there would be plenty of blood poured in waste in Ambon, as well as Poso and Aceh.

Alright. Let’s take a leaf from those all. Sometimes, we have to ponder our whole life by questioning ourselves: “What have I done? Have I supported and enriched one another? Have I bettered the surroundings?” We are accustomed to denying hard work unreasonably. We wish we could overlook the hardship. But that is the way to forge us into great character. We are to recognize obstacles, not to be daunted by them, but to climb over them. Witness them with courage. Wisdom and even-mindedness. Those are the golden keys to live every second of our active life fully and successfully.

When the path is rugged, in gentleness, do not regret for what we have got through. Like when Ahok quitted the Gerindra Party last year. He went against the party as it intended to end direct elections for governors, mayors, and regents. Not only bluffing, he really did what he said to resign from Gerindra. Also, Valentino Rossi did the same thing on his last race long ago. His persistence enabled him to ride incredibly passing 22 riders from the back of the grid. And what then? They were inevitably honoured by everyone else, in gladness. And the glory already awaits them.

Nothing venture, nothing win. Yes. We have to fill each day with full steam. Learn from this universe. Give more to this whole wide world. Everything is not always going on as we will, and not every day can be bright. But this is our life, the path that we have chosen, and remember those we love. Believe! We will become something that we have never wondered before. And lo! We literally attract the things, ideas, and circumstances to us. So try, and try. GOOD LUCK.

Juan Karnadi
Faculty of Engineering
University of Indonesia