The Way Things Are

Authored by: Tyto Alba

Edited by: Anwar Mc Noo

IN THE NAME OF ALLAH THE MOST GRACIOUS THE MOST MERCIFUL

“What you do speaks so loud that I cannot hear what you say.”

-Ralph Waldo Emerson-

“Izz, get me out of here.”

“Hmm.. Jom. Jumpa kat DS pukul 11. Wear all black.”

“Done.”

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“Bawak food?”

“Yup, chipsmore.”

“Nice, drinks?”

“Peach tea.”

Bibir tercarik senyum tanda suka. “Let’s go.”

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Lampu dari bangunan menyuluh jalan. Tempat biasa dicari di tengah kegelapan.

“It’s a bit wet.”

“So?”

Punggung dilabuhkan di atas rumput yang basah. Paket Chipsmore dibuka tangkas, tanda lapar. Pandangan dihala pada bintang-bintang yang berani menampakkan diri malam itu. Jiwa terasa sejuk, tenang.

“Izz, do I look that fragile?” Pertanyaan Tika memulakan bicara.

“Hmm.. Why do you ask?”

“Tak la, sebab tadi jumpa Bad and he said that, tengok Tika ni, jadi rasa nak protect je. And I don’t like that. So, am I that fragile?”

“Well….. by looking at the way you walk, and the way you show yourself to others, I’d say yes.”

“Hmmm.”

Satu tahi bintang lalu di atas mereka.

“Tika, I saw a shooting star!”

“Ehhh manaa.. Nak jugak!”

“Sorry, seems like they don’t wanna meet you tonight. Haha”

“Eii, mana aci…” Sambil bibir memuncung sedepa.

Izz tertawa ria, melepaskan minda dari masalah yang akan timbul lagi bila tiba siang nanti.

Ternyata, langit yang seluas angkasa itu terlalu indah sehinggakan mampu melapangkan fikiran dan jiwa.

"Nature does have its own way in keeping us calm and amazed, right? Perhaps that's how it acts as His signs?" Monolog Izz sendirian, tersenyum sendiri.

“[And] who created seven heavens in layers. You do not see in the creation of the Most Merciful any inconsistency. So return [your] vision [to the sky]; do you see any breaks? Then return [your] vision twice again. [Your] vision will return to you humbled while it is fatigued. And We have certainly beautified the nearest heaven with stars and have made [from] them what is thrown at the devils and have prepared for them the punishment of the Blaze.”(67:3-5)

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    How we talk, how we walk, how we show ourselves to others, will be their guidelines in what manners they will treat us with.

    Bila kita tunjuk kita kuat, maka orang akan layan kita macam orang yang kuat, secara mental dan fizikal. Sampai kadang-kadang, orang terlupa untuk ambil kira perasaan kita, sebab bagi mereka, they’re strong, I’m sure they’ll be fine.

“The worst part about being strong is that no one ever asks if you’re okay.”

    Bila kita tunjuk perasaan sebenar kita, huru-hara kita, kerisauan dan kegalauan kita, maka orang akan layan kita seolah-olah kita vulnerable. And in a way, we are.

“After all, we are humans.”

    But the trick is, to accept the way we are, and most important, to accept the consequence we have to bear. Because we choose it. Kita yang pilih macam mana orang pandang kita, dan macam mana dia layan kita. Maka seharusnya kita terima layanan itu.  

“What you can’t accept, change. What you can’t change, accept.”

“Your belief determines your action and your action determines your results. Make sure you can live with the results of your actions.”

-Professor Carlos Wallace-