Thursday, June 4, 2009

Water Source

Not too far away from my parents home in Malang,
I can find a small piece of special rice field,

it is a small piece of heaven in its simplicity
it is small portion of rice field, irrigated by natural water source,
the water flows out from the bottom of the cliff
and just before joining the main river below,
the water stream makes the lower land wet,
so the farmer can grow the rice all year long.

and this the only rice field irrigated by natural water source in this area
all of the others rice field around there, are irrigated by man-made irrigation

many years ago, here was my run-away place,

whenever I lost motivation at school,
whenever my brother or sisters did not respect my privacy,
whenever my parents asked me un-believable things,
whenever any nice girl refused my phone call,

I would go here, washing my face on water source,
and often I stayed for a while to talked with the farmers there,
and everytime I gained my spirit back,
and I could face my world with better view.



I arrived there around 10 am, parked my bicycle on the shade,
there are still a lot of trees there, even there were more in the past,
the farmers are there too, but they dont know me anymore,

I walked for couple meters and find the water source,
the water still flows out of the ground, even it is not as strong as before,
but at least, the water that coming out is as clean and as clear as before

there were young couple washing their clotches in the source
they smiled to me and put their stuff aside, and share the place with me,
even before I asked them,

I lowered my hand on the water stream,
and using palm of my both hands to take water and washing my face,

I closed my eyes,and let clear, fresh and cool water flowed over my face,
splashing my polo shirt, and made it wet almost immediately
my face was in contact with flowing water for few seconds only,

but in that short time,
the water from the source was showing me its magic,
I felt that every spash crossing my face flows with fresh spirit,
washing my tired face and mind,

No, I am not running away from anything this time,
Back in Balikpapan, I have a job and a family, and ordinary middle class life,
and for sure my wife never refused my phone call neither.

However, I would never refuse the magical effect of this clear water neither,
I just let it works, my hand repeately taking more water,
and on each drop of water,
my mind is filled, by a nice combination of fresh and peaceful feeling,

When I am done, I opened my eyes,
the couple who were there to wash their clotches were still smiling,
I thanked them and heading back to my bicycle

pedalling my bike back to my parents home was easier and lighter,
as if the water source has bringing me a new life, like it always did
in the past.