Flexibility of a Newborn

It's about fulfilling a lifetime given in the truest sense

When I'm in action, many of my friends used to say that I were like Annida cartoon character. It's a muslima icon magazine in Indonesia where they have the picture of a muslima wearing veil with its tail flying in the air. I tried to search a cartoon character in the internet to represent a candid and hilarious muslima, so far I can't find a perfect picture. Maybe this sailor moon picture (excluding the veil) can represent most of situation when I was with my teamwork in organizing the national conference of Organisasi Shiddiqiyyah.

In the beginning, I wasn't appointed to lead the organizing committee for the national conference in the meeting held two years ago. It was my other colleague. I was asked to help the steering committee in preparing the material of discussion during the national conference. Until sometime around July last year when we held an exhibition program in which the teamwork to hold the event were almost similiar to the teamwork who would be in charge for the national conference. There was an uprising reluctant from the team members to be led by the same trio leaders. Looking at this situation, the general leader of national board made a change on the organizing committee of national conference that would be held on December. That was when I had to take over the work. The main reason for the appointment was because I am quite familiar with them. We had worked as a team work previously when I was to be responsible for the Organizational Retreat Program on April 2010. And we did a very good job on that program.

Working is another form of Playing

For me working with them was like revealing my real character. I didn't have to pretend with them. When I didn't feel like to lead, I let them to make their own decision in relation to the work and responsibility they have to do. When I felt like to have fun, I made jokes with them or mimicking some funny cartoon characters as my wish. When I had to lead the team in making decision, I asked their opinion and consider the whole situation to give the best result. When I gave them assignment, I made sure their requirement were fulfilled because our work was voluntary work and most of them weren't paid workers. When they worked, I made sure I did my part as well so they wouldn't say that I took the easy way while they took the hard way. And when I was exhausted and fell asleep while working late with them, I could just sleep there and be awakened anytime they needed my assistance. 

The most hilarious things when we worked together was when they asked me why I didn't run for general leader, I told them because I was afraid that if I had to answer the questions from the reporters I would act funny just like the snap shot of a funny cartoon character collapse. While laughing myself out, I showed them how my expression would be in a very cartoonic way that made them all laughing. After the previous incumbent was elected for the second round, they cheered me up and congratulated me for having another skinny years in running the headquarters, I acted as if I were collapsed in the mid air in a very cartoonic way, again they laughed out loud. With that kind of interaction, I wasn't afraid of being called a fool in mimicking a funny cartoon characters. It's just the way I make them feel comfortable with me.

The difference between life and death

Learning from their reluctant to work with the other trio team leaders I practiced flexibility in working with them. I tried to respect their ideas and understand their nature. For they have also practiced flexibility in the way they work in any events given. I mean their sincerity at work is because of their devotion to the great master of Thariqah Shiddiqiyyah who had taught them most of their life. They only want to express their gratitude as students who have been taught by him (some of them had studied there from primary school): Most of them aren't paid in their works. So the situation was in such a way as stated in below verses.

76. Flexibility

A newborn is soft and tender, 

A crone, hard and stiff. 

Plants and animals, in life, are supple and succulent; 

In death, withered and dry. 

So softness and tenderness are attributes of life, 

And hardness and stiffness, attributes of death. 

Just as a sapless tree will split and decay 

So an inflexible force will meet defeat; 

The hard and mighty lie beneath the ground 

While the tender and weak dance on the breeze above.

And my choice of being unpretentious person is to practice harmony in our teamwork. After all, just like children are learning by playing, I am playing by working. 

Being in harmony allow us to be like a newborn 

55. Soft Bones

Who is filled with harmony is like a newborn. 

Wasps and snakes will not bite him; 

Hawks and tigers will not claw him.

His bones are soft yet his grasp is sure, 

For his flesh is supple; 

His mind is innocent yet his body is virile, 

For his vigour is plentiful; 

His song is long-lasting yet his voice is sweet, 

For his grace is perfect. 

But knowing harmony creates abstraction, 

And following abstraction creates ritual. 

Exceeding nature creates calamity, 

And controlling nature creates violence. 

Working with them... who would guess that I am much older than them all.