In the flight of EVA Air, above the Pacific Oceans (seen on the monitor of the plane seat); on the height of 3500 ft.

The distance between Taipei and Seattle is 6246 miles. It will just take two more hours to get to Tacoma Sea Tac Airport. I could have got a short sleep, but it was so sound that I feel refreshed. Most of my time was being awake because there was something made me sleepless. Beside me, there is a boy, (just called him Ronny), of his 18 years old. He is an Arsenal Mania. He is not going to enjoy his holiday in Seattle, but he had just finished his holiday in Indonesia, and now he is going to continue his study at Green River Community in Auburn, Seattle.

I formerly speak English as I thought that he has an oriental face, the same with most (more than 50%) of the passangers in the flight from Taipei to Seattle. At the last I knew that he is from Indonesia.

It is interesting to hear his story. He said that he recklessly wandered to USA in his age of 16. He went to Seattle for doing research of study (because he likes electronics and technology, and his idol is Thomas Alfa Edison, indeed). So, having enough data and information, when he was in his first year of senior high school, he left his study, continued to a college to get a lecture while doing his high school completion at once to get a high school certificate.

When I asked “why do you choose America for studying?”

He answered “I just want a different learning situation.”

I am sure that it is not just the matter of learning situation, because at last I can feel the expression of unsatisfaction to the education system in Indonesia. He said that if someone has sufficient capability to get a lecture in the earlier stage, why should he conquer his 2 years time as a senior high-school student?

Hmmm… Good thinking… And furthermore, he was not just thinking, but he made his own decision, not giving up to the reality. He has written his own destiny.

There is another thing I realize, that we have one thing in common. Since the time of being retired, Ronny’s grandpa, became a community organizer in a church in Bogor, handling orphans and poor children, of christiany of course. So, the same with me who set up and handle Pondok Yatim Menulis (orphan’s house of writing).

I find a conclusion; it is possibly that due to the sincerity from the heart of Ronny’s grandpa giving his care to others who need help, now the grandson get the blessings in turn. So that the grandson get the better life now. I know for sure, if we care about God’s business, the God will in turn care about us. Yes, iam sure about it.

Ronny’s grandpa was so care about God’s business, so that God cares about his offspring.

I told Ronny about it; and as a young man who believe that everything depends on each individual effort and contribution, achieved by a hardwork, he just nodded his head.

Hmmm…

Imagining Ronny that crossing over the ocean in his young age, reminds me about the story I read from Obama’s book: “Dream of My Father”. It tells much about Obama’s decision following her mother, Stanley Ann Dunham, crossing over the Pacific Ocean, to live together with her husband, Lolo Soetoro.

Obama did everything not only because he wanted to see his stepfather, but due to his love to his mother. Yes, Obama crossed over the Pacific Ocean because he loves his mother. And his mother, is the one who become a spring that’s never stop watering her son, giving coolness to shape Obama’s character.

Imagining The Little Obama crossing over the Ocean in the aeroplane for almost one day long, or even longer, of course not as a child going on the vacation, but a child picking up his destiny.

Thus, in Indonesia, Obama learned many things about tolerance, and doing a practical learning from the portrait of poverty. Tolerance and poverty, had been seen by Obama since the year of 1970 as the main topic of Indonesia’s problems. And what so unique is, until this 21st century, they are still the main problems in Indonesia, even at the time that Obama has become a piece of puzzle of history, being the 44th President of America.

Maybe Indonesia would not be the place visited by Obama unless he loves his mother and his mother loves his stepfather. It has been proven that when Obama was in his teenage, he didn’t want to follow her mother coming back to Indonesia for her field task. He chose to stay and study in America since he is not really assured of what he could get in Indonesia because of the unstable condition of Indonesia.

It is the power of love that brought Obama to cross over the ocean. And it become the starting point of Obama’s character development, picking up the destiny that guided him to become a big leader right now.

There are many young men have a courage to be self-independent; and next is just a matter of how they develop their character to be the solution for many people.