Pengertian dan Langkah-Langkah Menulis

Oleh, Febri Wengke

Mustahil sejarah terus diceritakan dari abad ke abad, bukan kiranya ada bukti nyata dari apa yang disampaikan dari mulut ke mulut. Tetapi melalui suatu tulisan oleh penulis-penulis terdahulu sejak awal mula dikenalnya menulis melalui media batu, daun, dinding, papan dan lain-lain agar penulis terdahulu tersebut dapat memberikan bukti dari sejarah tersebut melalui karya tulis. Seperti yang dikatakan oleh Utama (2014) tulisan menjadi warisan terbaik yang diberikan manusia kepada manusia lainnya dan tulisan tak akan lekang oleh waktu. Demikian pada tulisan kali ini penulis ingin memaparkan pengertian menulis dan langkah-langkah menulis.

Menulis adalah suatu kegiatan atau tindakan yang mengelola pikiran menjadi symbol dalam bentuk huruf, kata, phrasa, kalimat, paragraph, dan kemudian menjadi satu bentuk tulisan yang terstruktur. Menurut Dalman (2019) menulis dapat berarti menurunkan atau melukiskan lambing-lambang grafis yang menggambarkan suatu bahasa yang dipahami oleh orang lain. Dalam hal menulis ada beberapa bentuk hasil tulisan antara lain karya tulis ilmiah; penelitian, makalah, jurnal, tulisan lainya; jurnalistik, artikel, opini, feature, adapula tulisan sastra atau fiksi antara lain prosa, novel, cerpen, puisi, dan sajak. Dengan demikian menulis merupakan suatu karya seni, sebagaimana mampu mengkreasikan rasa karsa dan pikiran untuk diaktualisasikan dalam bentuk tulisan. Bahwa lebihnya semua hasil tulisan merupakan ilmu pengetahuan yang layak diperoleh.  Pada era sekarang ini orang-orang dapat mengaktualisasikan tulisanya melalui menulis langsung menggunakan pena dan juga bisa melalui mesin ketik, computer, dan labtop. 

Dalam hal menulis pada umumnya terdapat beberapa langkah untuk dapat menghasilkan bentuk tulisan yang menarik dan layak untuk aktualisasikan antara lain yang pertama menentukan judul, selanjutnya menentukan masalah-masalah yang akan dibahas dalam tulisan sebagai isi untuk menstruktur suatu hasil tulisan. Sebagaiamana dibawah ini akan menjelaskan langkah-langkah dalam dalam menulis, data langkah-langkah dalam menulis dibawah ini berdasarkan pengalaman penulis sendiri dan membaca referensi dari penulis legendaris sebelumnya.

Persiapan

Sebagai persiapaan awal dalam menulis sangat dierlukan untuk menentukan judul atau topic penulisan. Sebagai acuan arah pikiran dan alur penulisan bahwa dari apa yang diminati, kemudian apa saja yang berkaitan dengan topic tulisan? Dalam tahap persiapan dari topic yang ditentukan dapat meningkatkan daya imajinasi untuk membentuk tulisan yang akan dibuat sesuai minat dan berdasar pengetahuan yang dimiliki.

Penelitian

Dalam hal penelitian pada suatu proyek menulis, bahwa cara mencari sumber yang berkaitan dengan topic tulisan dan masalah-masalah yang berkaitan dengan topic tulisan. Membaca berbagai sumber merupakan memperkaya isi tulisan yang akan dibuat dan masalah informasi yang berkaitan dengan topic penulisan. Berdiskusi dengan teman dan orang lain yang berkenan dengan topic tulisan yang akan dibuat untuk memperoleh pengetahuan dan pendapat lebih yang sekiranya dapat pula dimuat dalam isi tulisan.

Pengorganisasian

Pada tahap pengorganisasian merupakan proses pemikiran dalam menstrukturkan karya tulisan yang akan dibuat. Pengorganisasian mengenai apa sajakah yang akan dimuat dalam karya tulisan tersebut yang berkaitan dengan judul yang telah ditetapkan. Melalui pengorganisasian dalam menulis untuk mengetahui batasan-batasan dan hal-hal yang diperlukan untuk dimuat dalam tulisan.

Penulisan draft

Bagian penulisan draft merupakan tahap perencanaan susunan karya tulis yang akan dibuat. Secara umum diantaranya megenai pendahuluan, isi, dan penutup yang mencangkupi kesimpulan dan saran suatu karya tulisan. Penulisan draft dapat mensinyalir pemikiran untuk menempatkan bagian-bagian setiap hasil pemikiran dalam tulisan dan memberikan gambaran betuk tulisan yang dibuat.

Revisi

Meminimalisir kesalahan-kesalahan yang terdapat dalam suatu karya tulis yang telah dibuat, hal yang terakhir yang dilakukan dalam tahap penulisan yaitu revisi. Merevisi tulisan merupakan langkah membaca kembali tulisan yang sudah dibuat, meliputi pengecekan ejaan, struktur kalimat, format tulisan, dan lain-lain. Melalui tahapan revisi juga dapat meyakini penulis bahwa tulisan sudah utuh atau matang dan layak untuk dibaca.

Dapat disimpulkan bahwa menulis merupakan salah satu kreativitas manusia yang memberikan saksi dari peradaban demi peradaban kehidupan. Kreativitas menulis dapat diaktualisasikan dalam berbagai macam, tergantung kemampuan setiap orang untuk menghasilkan karya tulis antara ilmiah dan fiksi. Melalui persiapan, penelitian, pengorganisasian, penulisan draft, dan revisi sebagai gambaran umum dalam tahap membuat suatu karya tulis.

Referensi;

Dalman, Haji (2019). Menulis Karya Ilmiah. Depok: Rajawali Pers

Utama, A.N.B (2014) Cara Praktis Menulis Buku. Yogyakarta: Deepublish

https://jaririndu.blogspot.com/2011/10/langkah-langkah-dasar-dalam-menulis.html?m=1 

The Reality of the Marginalized and the Parable of the Lost Sheep

 By: Engel Salmon, SVD

Introduction     

            The parable of the lost sheep in Luke (15:1-10) starts with portraying Jesus’ audience who are tax collectors and sinners. The Pharisees proclaiming themselves humble and live according to the Moses’ law stay away from Him. It seems that Jesus does not care about the perception of the Pharisees who admire themselves holier than ordinary people and even look down on Jesus just because of his relationship with sinners. Jesus still continues to tell them the parable. He asks his audience, who does among you leave the 99 sheep in the desert and go to find the lost one? People certainly do not dare to answer this question because in general they are middle-class society and have their economy and mathematical calculations about profit and loss.     

            Jesus continues to tell them that the shepherd leaves the 99 sheep in the dessert and go after the lost one until he finds it. When he finds it, he sets it on his shoulders with great joy. Upon his arrival home, he invites all his friends and his neighbors to rejoice with him because he has found his lost and beloved sheep. At the end of his parable Jesus inspires the sinners and the tax collectors that his father in heaven is full of mercy to find the lost “sheep” and there is a great joy in heaven when one sinner repents.

            The point of view that Jesus portrays in this parable is about love and mercy to the marginalized and poor who are lost in the eye of social stratification. The realities of poverty, racism issues, and migrants who are suffered and attempting to find new homes for living has become one of the serious issues in humans’ life today. Regardless migrants and marginalized issues become state sovereignty issue, the humanity principles should be more dominant to give love and care to these people. Therefore, this analytical project is going to explain the meaning of the parable the lost sheep in the cultural context which is about the moral of the story when Jesus told the parable and the connection between the moral of the story with the prophetic dialogue in today’s social justice issue-poor and marginalized.  

Cultural Context

            The parable of the lost sheep provides an understanding of chance of repentance. Almost all interpretation of parables leads to an understanding of God’s love, mercy, care, forgiveness and compassion. “The parable as either emphasizing God’s forgiveness, grace, mercy, love and compassion for the lost, or God’s joy when a sinner is found.”[1] According to allegorical interpretation of Tertullian, the parable is actually addressed to the Pharisees which is the lost sheep to proof God’s willingness to forgive. According to Tertullian, “the parable was directed at Pharisees and is proof of God’s willingness to forgive; the lost sheep refers to the Jews with the intention to shame the Pharisees because they thought repentance was only necessary for the Gentiles.”[2] The most important point expressed in Tertullian’s writing is that the lost sheep is actually addressed to the Jews who are so much pride of being God’s chosen people. In contrary, God is still looking for them and wait for their repentance. 

            The bible scholars often join the parable of lost sheep, lost coin, and lost son as a representation of God’s love and mercy. Amy-Jill Levine in her book short stories by Jesus writes “Common is the claim that the parables, especially the third (lost son), reveal an extravagant, earth shattering image of a God the Father who forgives, as if Jews had no notion of a divinity who seeks relationship and reconciliation.”[3] In her writing, she emphasizes the parables of the lost sheep on the value of relationship and reconciliation between God and human beings. Human beings as God’s creation are never be abandoned although they are still proud of their self in sinfulness and perishes. God, the Father still love the Jews (us also) as his beloved children.

            Amy continues that at Jesus time, the Jews obeyed and served God because of their desire to get reward, but Jesus proclaims salvation by grace. She writes “the Jews slavishly serve God the Father in order to earn reward, while Jesus proclaims the salvation by grace.”[4] This context gives us a clear understanding the reason why the Jews always keep distance from Jesus because of talking with the sinners and tax collector. The Jews obey the law of Moses without an awareness of humanity, love and mercy like God have showed them through his Son, Jesus Christ. Because of this pride as a chosen nation, the do not even know who Jesus is –“Look and see that no prophet arises from Galilee.”[5] By understanding cultural context, we come to understand that Jesus tells the tax collector and the sinners about his loving father. God is merciful and love, he always gives everyone a change of repentance and reconciliation with Him.

            Another interpretation of the parable the lost sheep comes from Bernard Brandon Scoot. He emphasizes the value of the parable from the standpoint of fellowship and transformation. For him, the parable of the lost sheep and prodigal son are always followed by rejoicing and party in which the shepherd and the father find what they are looking for. Each character in the story expresses intrinsically the transformation into a new creation. He writes “In both parables an object is lost and found; this is followed by a request and rejoicing, and then there is an interpretation by the teller (Jesus) that ties the parable to the larger story about Pharisees and table of fellowship…the value of the thing lost undergoes a transformation.”[6] Based on this interpretation, the parable of the lost sheep implies the understanding of Jesus proclamation to the Jews that receiving God’s mercy and graces should be followed by transformation through repentance and respect for fellow human beings.

            Based on these sources, the moral values ​​described in the parable of the lost sheep can be reduced to three important points. First, through the parable of the lost sheep, Jesus proclaims the forgiveness, care, love, and God’s mercy to the Jews and Gentiles. God is waiting for the conversion of the Jews who call themselves righteous before God. Second, God always gives everyone the opportunity to repent. There is no time limit for the Jews (we too) to repent; God always waits and accepts those who return to Him. Third, the parable of the lost sheep implies the value of fellowship and transformation. Fellowship at this point means an attitude of seeing fellow human beings as brothers and sisters and transformation means a commitment to live in the guidance of God who always gives humans love, peace, care, forgiveness, and compassion.

Theological Context of Prophetic Dialogue

            Migrants, poverty, and minority groups are categorized as marginalized groups who are often treated with political injustice, murder, and human rights violations. There are many marginalized groups around us who needs our help and care. However, the question is how do we see these people? Marginalization and poverty are not only about not having the resources to live on or not eating three meals a day to stay healthy, but also about not having the care and powerlessness of the people around them. The tax collector and sinners in the parable of the lost sheep are not physically the people who do not have food or house or children. As Peter Singer said poverty is not about unsatisfied but it is about powerless from the social structure. “But extreme poverty is not only a condition of unsatisfied material needs. It is often accompanied by a degrading state of powerlessness.”[7] From Singer's point of view, marginalization and poverty are often the result of a system of injustice and lack of concern for humanity among us. 

            We all come from the same source of life, namely the almighty power (God) who created everything on earth from whom we receive our life and dignity as human beings. There is no guarantee that some of human groups are better than the other groups, ethnic or certain culture which from there people are usually classified in hierarchy system. Human beings are God’s special creation that have been mandated to be fruitful, subdue the world, and be care to all living creature (Genesis chapter 1). The marginalized, poor people, and migrants are not groups of people without rights and dignity. As Christians we are called to care for those people as our brothers and sisters. This goal can be implemented through three approaches; participatory dialogue and repentance, mindset transformation, and building a community of love and care.         First, we as catholic and Church disciples are called to engage with participatory dialogue with the migrants, poor people, and minority groups. We will never know each other intensively until we live with them for a period of time. To experience and understand the lives of immigrants, the poor, and minority groups, we must engage in their difficult times with dialogue and prosperity actions. Through the intensive dialogue with them, we will understand their struggles, needs, and hope. With this understanding, we will come to know how to help them physically and spiritually. Doing this participatory dialogue does not have to be with large groups, we can do it with neighbors or people around us. In relation with that, we also have to repent from our perception, the way we see others. People who are different from our background are not people who need to be discarded. They are still God's children and they are just like us who need love, care and compassion.        

            Second, mindset transformation. As Jesus transformed himself from God's essence into human form, we as His disciples need to be transformed as well from our selfishness to generosity. Many people in this world are so enthusiastic to have as much money and sources as possible which from that income, they become in power to do whatever they want to people who are economically powerless. We as Christians are not called to be invaders for the helpless, we are called to be servants to those who do not have the strength to live. Our resource is not billions of dollars, our resource is our loving heart and will to live with marginalized people, listen to their struggles, and be humble enough to be their friend.

            Third, building a community of love and care. As brothers and sisters in faith, our lives must represent the life of Christ which is full of love, compassion and care. We should capture the poor, immigrants, and minority group as the other side of the invisible God. This means that serving the marginalized is the same as serving God Himself who has brought them into this world. Even though they are marginalized, they still have rights like us and are still God's children. We must love one another as God has loved us.              

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Works Cited       

Kissinger, Warren S. The parables of Jesus: A history of Interpretation and

Bibliography. Metuchen: The Scarecrow Press, 1979.

Levine, Amy-Jill. The Enigmatic Parables of a Controversial Rabbi: Short Stories by Jesus. New York: Harper One, 2014.  

Scott, Bernard Brandon. Hear Then the Parable: A Commentary on the Parables of Jesus. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1989.  

Singer, Peter. The Life You Can Save. New York: Random House, 2009.

Van Eck, Ernest. “In the kingdom everybody has enough – A social-scientific and Realistic Reading of the Parable of the Lost Sheep (Lk 15:4–6),” Department of New Testament Studies, University of Pretoria, South Africa (2011):1. https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=79325538&site=ehost-live. Accessed, October 13,2021.       

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[1] Van Eck, Ernest. “In the kingdom everybody has enough – A social-scientific and Realistic Reading of the Parable of the Lost Sheep (Lk 15:4–6),” Department of New Testament Studies, University

of Pretoria, South Africa (2011):1. https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=79325538&site=ehost-live.

[2] Kissinger, Warren S. The parables of Jesus: A history of Interpretation and

  Bibliography (Metuchen: The Scarecrow Press, 1979), p. 4-5.

[3] Levine, Amy-Jill. The Enigmatic Parables of a Controversial Rabbi: Short Stories by Jesus (New York: Harper One, 2014), p.28.

[4] Ibid., 28. 

[5] The gospel of John 7:52

[6] Scott, Bernard Brandon. Hear Then the Parable: A Commentary on the Parables of Jesus (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1989), p.407

[7] Singer, Peter. The Life You Can Save (New York: Random House, 2009), p. 6.

The Fun of Childhood When Stealing Corn

By, Febri Wengke

Picture source; Brilio.net

When I was childhood, the most I knew how the world is. It was started when I am 4 years old. On that moment I have begun found so many friends. Especially in my village, there are my friends that I still remember Ignas, Ocen and Rino, we have got in the same school that is Wae Belang Elementary School. When we were at the classroom, we are actively during the lessons, no one no focus on during the study. Because of that we have similar principal that is “the study is the bridge for the better future”.

Once upon the time where we go out to the estate, as our plan when we have finished the lessons. The reason that to filch the fruits, cassavas, and corns. We were going to Lalang area most of plantations, which planted by estate owner, even though we don’t know whoever they are. That was not so far from our village. We were enjoyed walking through rice fields and river.

“Hi…guys come here and look at there! There are so many corns”, Ignas said.

Then me and our friends Ocen also Rino comes to Ignas was standing, there happened there are so many corns, how we are so amazed when look at the corns.

“Wahh… They’re so nice I just would like take only three corns”, I said.

“No, I would like to take more then you, I would take ten corns because some of that I would bring it to home”, Ocen said.

I was going inside the corns plantation through the right side, and also my partner Rino he just to follow me.

“I know with you will be save”, Rino said.

“Huss…don’t be noise! Just to walk it slowly and look around”, I stressed.

Then Ignas and Ocen go through the left side. While we were taking the corns, someone from the corner of the estate was scream.

“Hay…What are you doing there???” he asked loud.

That’s estate owner screamed, we were straightly shut up on that scream and nobody do something it’s like a statue.

When I look at Rino, he was really square and began to shaking.

I were scream back to that people, because I didn’t know who is he?

“Yeah. . . Who are you?” I ask him. “We just want to take some of these corns”, I stressed on what he ask to us.

“Ohh... Thief!”

“Don’t take my corns, and I will kill you if you take my corns, this my garden and these are my plants”, He screamed.

Me and my friends was really square, because of his statement that he will kill us.

On that time, I began to hold my slippers and started to run.

“Hay… what?  What do you want to do?” Rino asked.

“Let us get out from this estate prepare yourself,” I said.

“No… no... no... I know you would like to run, but I can’t run fast, could we just walk calm?” He suggested me.

“No! Run...! as fast as you can!” I push him up.

While I am running, I look to the Ignas and Ocen they are so far as fast as they can run and I see the their slippers in ground they  just released it down, some of their corns that they have taken was fell down, I don’t care it I just run as fast as I can. Also, I turn back a bit of my view to the Rino, all his corns were fell it down, he didn’t bring it at all. I just care one corn because the only one that I have taken.

“Run... run...run…!” I screamed.

I was feeling tired, and just run slowly I look back at Rino, he was walked.

“Hay. . .Febry! no body pursued us that man didn’t run follow us please stop to run again”, he screamed and I stop to waiting him.

“Where are your corns why you didn’t care it?” I asked him.

“Oouh... No man, that was too much I taken the corns, I feel heavy that’s why I was fell it down, while we were run”, he stressed.

“Ha. . .ha. . .ha. . .it’s okay man”, I laughter look at his face was funny.

We are looking back to way where we run, there was monkeys take our corns which fell down.

“Ha...ha...ha...”, we were laughter.

“We are like monkeys too”, Rino said. Ha...ha...ha...”

After that, we walked through the rice fields and show the Ignas, and Ocen was sitting on the edge of the river, they were already making fire to burns their corns, while they are burning the corns, me and Rino to surprised them.

“Wahh...!!!” we screamed.

Ignas and Ocen was so amazed and they would like to run.

“Run…!!!”, they were screamed and run with the square.

“Ha…ha…ha...”, we were laugh.

Because of our laugh Ignas and Ocen was turn back they was confused look at me and Rino, which nothing brings the corns. That actually I hide my corn in my pocket which the only one.

“Hay, man! Where are your corns?” Ignas asked.

“Did you don’t go into the estate? Because you already know if there was a garden owner and you didn’t tell us, which you were lied to us?” Ocen added and like angry to me and Rino.

“No man, I have care one corn and I save it in my pocket otherwise it fell down”, I stressed.

“All of mine I have fell it down, because feel heavy when I am running and I can’t run fast.

Even though, I have taken a lot of corns, but now it was nothing. Here the only body of mine still safety otherwise almost killed by the estate owner”, Rino exclaimed.

“Ha…ha…ha…”, we were laughed together. 

Then we were burn the corns, I have one corn, Ocen ’s three corns and Ignas ‘s four corns.

We were enjoying the corns and also view of rice fields, which so beautiful and sunset.

We spend the rest of the afternoon in the rice fields, until we go home.

Angle in the House

By, Febri Wengke

 A husband and wife named Alec and Zooey are abandoned by their five-year-old son. The child died as a result of the impact that hit him, which occurred in front of the door of the house. After a long time without having children, the husband and wife longed to have another child in their lives, but a medical examination revealed that the wife would not be able to conceive again. Then the husband and wife plan to adopt a child from an orphanage named Foster. The wife met a boy who was very unique from his very different nature from other small children, the name of the little boy was Eli. Uniquely, it is not husband and wife who choose children, but children who choose husband and wife and suddenly appear at the door. Husband and wife adopt a small child. The unique thing about the presence of the seven-year-old child turned out to be a little angel that the husband and wife did not realize. That a child is from a unique appearance, attitude and speech like an adult. The husband and wife were surprised and liked the little boy very much. Throughout life with this small family, many changes have occurred, starting from the loss of sadness over the loss of a husband and wife's biological child, the game business of her husband's children which previously declined and then rose again to become a developed and prestigious business, and finally. family life becomes more harmonious. . Thus, when the wife returned for an obstetrical examination, it was stated that she could be pregnant again. Everything is united in the welfare of family life because of the presence of a little angel who brings blessings in the house. in the end one day, that it was true that the little boy was an angel, he also disappeared and left a husband and wife they did not expect.

Bisikan Neneku

Oleh, Febri Wengke

Siang itu dikala teriknya matahari menyinari bumi manusia ini, aku kembali sejenak berteduh di warung pojok jalan milik seorang perempuan tua yang kini kuanggap neneku sendiri, Nenek Okimah namanya. Selang beberapa bulan setelah selesainya sebagian urusan kuliahku yang menjelang wisuda, neneku yang sedang menyiapkan dagangan di warungnya lantas kaget dengan kedatanganku. 

“Nek, selamat sore. Apa kabar?” Salam dan tanyaku pada nenek.

Nenekpun kaget dan berdiri karena menedengar suaraku sambil tanganya yang satu memegang jajanan jualanya, tanganya yang satu menepuk bahuku.

“Nak, nak. Sudah lama kau tak kesini lagi? Saya tunggu selama ini, saya pikir, barangkali kau sudah pulang kampung” tanya dan seru nenek tanpa menanggapi pertanyaanku terkait kabarnya. Melihat kondisinya sayapun bersyukur nenek masih sehat dan masih dengan tegarnya berjualan.

“Ma’afkan saya nek, semenjak saya selesai ujian skripsi saya terima kerjaan, selama ini saya sibuk kerja, jadinya jarang datang kemari” jelasku pada nenek.

“Syukurlah kalau kau sudah kerja nak. Tidak ada hari libur’kah”? Tanya nenek sambil buatkan kopi hitam kesukaan saya.

“Ma’af nek, ada liburnya diakhir pekan. Tapi ada-ada saja kerja tambahan yang hasilnya cukup” 

“Baiklah, intinya jangan sia-siakan harimu dengan hal yang tidak bermanfaat. Apalagi kau masih muda, nak. Kerjalah apa-apapun itu kalau memang menghasilkan sesuatu yang bermanfaat untuk hidupmu” pesan nenek untukku. Entah apa yang diketahui nenek dengan pedalamanya memandangi saya sambil berbisik “nak, carilah pasangan hidupmu dan menikahlah, agar kau lebih terarah lagi perjalananmu selanjutnya dan bahagia”. Aku yang mendengar bisikan itu tertawa bercampur kebingungan “kenapa seperti itu nek” tanyaku.

“Iya, supaya kau ada penuntun yang mendobrakmu untuk lebih giat lagi bekerja mencapai puncak kebahagian” tambah nenek.

Kuseruputi kopiku yang hangat dengan ampasnya menempel pada kumisku yang tipis. Kemudian kumenerangkan “nek, memang soal itu pasti akan kucari, nanti seiring peroses berjalanya hidup, untuk saat sekarang jangan dulu bagiku, karena anak perempuan orang tidak bisa didekatin begitu saja dan belum tentu menerima keadaan kita seperti ini”.

Sambil kucicipi satu persatu jajanan yang disiapkan oleh nenekuntuk menemani seruput kopiku. Nenek pun mencurahkan “baiklah, kalau memang urusan itu nanti dan pasti kau lakukan, intinya sekarang kau harus banyak cari pengalaman, perbaiki diri dan tambahi penghasilan sebagai bekalmu nanti”.

Pandangku pada langit menyebelahi atap warung nenek “iya nek, benar-benar harus mempersiapkan diri”.

Tegas nenekpun melanjut “tentu diatas segalanya kau harus bertanggung jawab, realita kau harus bekerja menghasilkan sesuatu yang memenuhui kekurangan dan mencukupi kebutuhan, yang walaupun sekiranya nanti kalian bisa berjuang bersama. Tetapi tetap awalnya dari kau sendiri karena kau lelaki”.

Perjumpaan siang yang menjelang sore itu dengan neneku, kurasakan sebagai salah satu kuliah tambahan yang begitu bermanfaat. Seruputan terakhir kopiku mengisyaratkanku untuk beranjak, kemudian kuserahkan gelas kopiku pada nenek dan kubuang pelastik jajan pada tempat sampah yang seketika juga handphone’ku bordering panggilan dari adik kelasku untuk membantu mengerjakan tugas kuliahnya di kos. Sebelum beranjak kumintai nenek totalan belanjaku yaitu enam ribu rupiah. Dengan demikian kuberpamitan dari nenek.

Nggerang

By; Febri Wengke

Ilustration from: Floresa.co

Nggerang is a girl in the legend of the Manggarai community who is very beautiful and elegant. Groaning because of her elegance and beauty, she was contested by several local kings in Manggarai. Because many kings wanted Nggerang, Nggerang was fought over and finally killed as a way to try the kings who fought over Nggerang. Which resulted in Nggerang's skin being used as one of the materials for traditional Manggarai musical instruments, namely Gendang or the drum.

Once upon a time, right in the village of Ndoso “beo Ndoso” which is located in West Manggarai Regency, East Nusa Tenggara Province. In Ndoso village, there was a small baby, namely Nggerang was found on the bank of a river near Ndoso village by one of the residents of Ndoso village. Thus the Nggerang was cared for and raised by the residents of the Ndoso village. Nggerang grew into a very beautiful and graceful girl from the appearance of her white skin and long hair. Because of the beauty and grace of the Nggerang, Nggerang is the highlight of the conversation of Ndoso villagers and spread in several villages in Manggarai. Likewise, the local kings in Manggarai know about the beauty and grace of Nggerang. At that time the most powerful kings and wanted Nggerang to be married included King Todo from Manggarai and King Bima from the Sumbawa archipelago. Even though Nggerang became a struggle for kings, Nggerang with his determination was not interested in being proposed to by these kings. Until several times the king of Todo and the king of Bima came to see Nggerang, but with the power that Nggerang had as a descendant of another human, Nggerang could transform into anything around him. With the power to change shape, Nggerang was not seen at home or around the village of Ndoso. In the end, King Todo and King Bima threatened to kill Nggerang's father, if Ngerang didn't show up to meet the two kings. Because of this threat and Nggerang's love for his father, Nggerang willingly appeared to the kings of Todo and the king of Bima. Even though because of the threat, Nggerang still with his determination did not want to be used as a struggle for the kings and did not want to be proposed to by the kings. Because of Nggerang's refusal, the kings agreed to kill Nggerang. The kings of Todo and the king of Bima with their power made the skin of the stomach and the skin of the back of the Nggerang as two drums, which are one of the traditional Manggarai musical instruments. Because of the Nggerang that comes from another human being and has the power to change shape, making the two drums made of Nggerang skin a sacred drum, that is, when one of the drums is played, it causes light to appear from the sky and the sound propagation will be heard wherever one goes. one Gendang was saved. Of which the two drums, one of which is stored in the king of Todo, was taken from Ndoso because at that time the village of Ndoso was the territory of the Todo Kingdom. Likewise, the other drum is stored in the king of Bima as one of the kings who really wants Nggerang the beautiful and elegant angel. From the sound of the two drums, if from the king of Todo one of the drums is hit, it causes the sound to propagate to the king of Bima, and vice versa. Thus the two drums are stored until now in the Todo Kingdom and the Bima Kingdom. Part of Nggerang's body was buried in the village of Ndoso, where the grave is still well-preserved today.

Personal documentation at Nggerang's cemetery.

Reference; Interviews and stories from Mrs. Elisabet Hasmi, a native of Ndoso Village, West Manggarai Regency, Flores, East Nusa Tenggara.

Sengitnya Suara Hati dan Pikiran

Oleh, Febri Wengke

Dalam satu diri yang hidup terdapat si Suara Hati dan si Pikiran. Keduanya berada dalam satu diri yang sedang menjalani kehidupanya. Si Suara Hati sebagai pengola rasa dari diri untuk mereaksikan sesuatu yang akan timbul. Sedangkan si Pikiran sebagai perencana dari hasil olah rasa oleh si Suara Hati, dalam hal ini si Pikiran merencanakan bagaimana cara menimbulkan rasa dari si Suara Hati. Si Suara Hati hanya satu rasa satu kali reaksi, tetapi lain halnya si Pikiran dia dengan beribu sel saraf menimbulkan beberapa rencana dengan daya pikiranya.

Oleh  Karena ketidak seimbangnya kapasitas kedua organ tersebut, antara satu berbanding seribu. Yang jika bekerjasama dengan baik antara satu suara hati dengan seribu saraf pikir akan menghasilkan rencana yang baik untuk timbul tujuan hidup yang baik dari diri. Tetapi sebaliknya yang mana kadang antara si Suara Hati dan si Pikiran bertolak belakang mengalami perkelahian di medan batin yang mengakibatkan diri; bingung, stress, gelisah, ragu, tidak percaya dir, takut, dan lain-lain.

Demikianlah keduanya si Suara Hati dan si Pikiran, sebagai organ yang sangat berpengaruh untuk perubahan diri dalam perjalanan hidupnya. Apapun hasil dari antara keduanya aka nada tanggung jawab yang harus diemban untuk diri memperoleh perubahan itu. Jika antara si Suara Hati dan si Pikiran bekerjasama dengan baik hasilnya akan menjadi baik yang akan disandingi dengan tanggung jawab. Begitupun antara si Suara Hati dan si Pikiran, jika saling bertolak belakang akan menghasilkan keburukan pun akan akan disandingi dengan tanggung jawab. Demikian juga jika hasil hanya dari salah satunya saja antara hanya si Suara Hati atau hanya si Pikiran hasilnya pun akan disandingi tanggung jawab.

Diri sendiri pada akhirnya untuk menenangkan keduanya dengan cara meditasi dalam do’a. Meminta kebijaksanaan Tuhan untuk mengadili dan mendamaikan keduanya agar diripun tetap tenang dan fokus dalam perjalanan hidupnya. Ketenangan dan kefokusan diri disandingi tanggung jawab untuk menghasilkan kebijaksanaan hidup.