A candle, a star and a sun.

• When I was a young man, I wanted to change the world. I found it was difficult to change the world, so I tried to change my nation. When I found I couldn't change the nation, I began to focus on my town. I couldn't change the town and as an older man, I tried to change my family. Now, as an old man, I realize the only thing I can change is myself,and suddenly I realize that if long ago I had changed myself, I could have made an impact on my family. My family and I could have made an impact on our town. Their impact could have changed the nation and I could indeed have changed the world.

• Konsep mengubah dunia: Mulai dari yang kecil, Mulai dari diri sendiri dan Mulai dari sekarang juga.

• Seseorang yang sudah terlalu banyak menerima pemberian (kebaikan) kepada orang lain, akan sulit untuk menegur si pemberi tersebut ketika yang bersangkutan melakukan kesalahan.

• Kehidupan ini ibarat jalan satu arah. Seberapa banyak pun perubahan rute yang Anda tempuh, tidak satu pun akan membawa Anda kembali. Begitu Anda mengetahui dan menerima hal itu, kehidupan akan tampak menjadi jauh lebih sederhana.

• Bayi tidak selamanya minum ASI, dia akan berkembang makan bubur, nasi, dan makanan keras lainnya. Demikian pula manusia, setiap individu yang mandiri, ia tidak akan puas dengan tantangan pekerjaan yang biasa-biasa saja. Semakin hari semakin tumbuh baik dari segi kompetensi maupun untuk kerjanya.

• Tidak ada masalah yang terlalu besar untuk dihadapi, tidak ada langkah yang terlalu panjang untuk dijalani, dan tidak ada orang yang terlalu sulit untuk dihadapi ketika kita mampu menyikapi setiap peristiwa yang terjadi dengan hati yang jernih dan kepala dingin.

• "Tantangan dan masalah merupakan tanda bahwa kita masih hidup." demikian seorang filsuf pernah bertutur. Jika dicermati lebih jauh memang tidak satu tempat pun di dunia ini yang terbebas dari tantangan. Tantangan sesungguhnya membuat seseorang semakin matang dan dewasa dalam perkembangan mental. Tantangan yang di 'LAKONI' dengan baik akan memberikan pembelajaran yang paling berharga bagi kehidupan seseorang.

• Ketika kita memandang permasalahan dan beban itu berasal dari diri kita, justru pada saat itu sebenarnya kitalah yang sedang bermasalah.

• Ciri-ciri tim yang produktif diantaranya adalah memiliki tujuan yang jelas, ada pembagian tugas dan tanggung jawab, saling mempercayai satu dengan yang lain, serta memiliki aturan dan disiplin kerja.

• Tanggung jawab utama seorang pemimpin tim adalah mendefinisikan realita. Tanggung jawab terakhirnya adalah mengucapkan terima kasih. Diantara keduanya, sang pemimpin harus menjadi pelayan dan seorang yang berhutang. Itulah rangkuman kemajuan dari seorang pemimpin berseni.

• Jika seseorang terpanggil menjadi tukang sapu jalan, hendaklah ia menyapu jalan sebagaimana Michael Angelo melukis atau Beethoven menciptakan musik atau Shakespeare menulis puisi. Hendaknya ia menyapu jalan dengan sangat baik sehingga segenap isi surga dan bumi serentak menghentikan kegiatan mereka dan berkata, di sini tinggal seorang penyapu jalan yang agung yang menjalankan tugasnya dengan sangat baik.

• Kesejahteraan adalah gagasan, diperlukan langkah nyata untuk mewujudkannya. Kesejahteraan adalah tunas harapan, diperlukan optimisme untuk menumbuhkannya. Kesejahteraan adalah usaha, diperlukan keteguhan hati untuk mencapainya.

• Perusahaan besar itu ibarat dinosaurus. Ketika berjalan semua binatang takut kepadanya, namun pada kenyataannya dinosaurus bukan punah karena berkelahi dengan dinosaurus lain. Namun, dinosaurus lupa kakinya kecil sehingga tidak dapat melihat kuman, kecoa, dan binatang-binatang kecil yang ada disekitar telapak kakinya. Inilah awal kepunahan dinosaurus.

• Karakter yang Anda bentuk pada masa kuliah adalah karakter yang akan Anda bawa nanti seumur hidup.

• Jika kami adalah singa, maka kalian adalah anak singa yang suatu saat harus siap memimpin kawanannya sendiri.

• Berusaha untuk mengerti baru dimengerti.

another birthday wishes, diaz?
I guess you had enough already.

I guess, like what bg Adrin said, "with less time left, one would become wiser."
So, have I been wiser as I age?

Karim Benzema scooped the golden boots for france's super league at the age of 18.
Cristiano Ronaldo moved to Theatre of Dreams at the age of 18 too.
Chris Brown made his debut album that topped the chart at the age of 18.
Faizal Isa enters the Singapore Idol close to the age of 18.
John Taylor Hammons became a Mayor for Okla Town at the age of 18.
My Grandfather was fighting against the Japanese and the Dutch at the age of 18.
So, what have I done at the age of 18?

Everyone is born to make a difference in this world. Have I made that difference? If I had, what difference had I made? Is it for the better of the world, or did I just make the world a living hell?

People says that the reason why 18 is the legal age is because by 18 years old, a person's character have already been created and they are able to make wise decisions. Have I created that character? If I had, what have I become? A protagonist? or another antagonist?

People says that by 18 years old, you are able to decide where your life would lead to. Was being a physician my decision? Have I really been wanting to become a physician?

This whole week..
no, whole month...
no, whole year....
no, my lifetime, I have learnt that there is this thing that cannot be changed. That thing is called fate.

Al-Baqarah 216: "you may hate a thing although it is good for you, and love a thing although it is bad for you. God knows, but you do not know.”

Being born to demanding parents,
Wasn't taught how to speak acehnese,
Bullied in school,
Enters a low-profiled secondary school,
Accepted at Millenia Institute
Leaving NYP,
entering FKUI,
Didn't enter Senat FKUI,
Failed TBM's interview,
Failed neuroscience,
Lost STUNICA's campaign,
Didn't get PSDM in FSI,
Didn't ask a girl out.
Those were just a few of my chief complaints that I would make to God.

However, I realized, because of those, I am actually in a much better position for myself.

By being born to cold-hand parents, they taught me that "If they can do it, why can't you?". It gives a simple motivation for me to become a successful person in the future.

By not taught Acehnese, I became more attached to my own culture. It paced me to become active speaker now, rather than passive ones that just comprehend the language but is not able to return the words.

By being bullied in primary school, it gives me a strong sense of justice. They are the ones that made me strife to be a person that aims to wipe out the shame of the world - poverty, crimes and such. Not only that, it taught me empathy since childhood. It taught me that, being bullied is unpleasant, and I shouldn't do the same to others. It taught me kindness by learning the opposite.

I aimed to enter Raffles Institution, Hwa Chong Institution and Anglo-Chinese Secondary school. But in the end, I entered a small secondary school that is located in a neighbourhood area called Fuchun. Fuchun Secondary School was a school that had her glory in the 90s but was at the bottom of the fortune wheel when I entered. In that school, I met various people. Notably Suren & Thura. Two of the most hillarious and interesting people I've ever met. They taught me a lot of lesson of life. They taught me that life shouldn't be taken so seriously, have some fun in it. They taught me that even people who were given high ranks in the school can be suspended from the school for days (Compare it to Indonesia's current high officials, they ended up in jail). They also taught me that, I decide where I wanna go in life and what kind of person do I want to be. Another notable people that inspires me here are: Angus Jeffrey Evans --> a complete leader, Adam Khoo --> a motivator, Faizal Isa --> a dreamer. Jeffrey was the head of the student council on his fourth year where he also topped the national exam for the school and restored the dignity of the school. Adam Khoo, he emphasized to me that failure is just a delayed success. Faizal Isa, he dreamt of becoming a Singapore Idol, and although there are brick walls on his way, he just charged in there and tried to strive for his dream. Not forgetting to mention that there is a special teacher that NEVER give up for her students: Madam Hamidah. If I were to go to other secondary schools, I don't think I would have learnt this much.

Waiting for my exam result, I entered Millenia Institute for PAE programme. I was hugely disappointed because I can't enter any JC. and I didn't get Science programme in MI. However, it turned out that my best friends are found here. Ezah and Fiqah. Within that 8 weeks, we had a roller-coaster ride of tertiary education. I believe I discovered the meaning of [i]Tafahum[/i] here. (:

Graduated from FCSS, I entered NYP because of a close margin of L1R5 GCE 'O' Level with JC. In NYP, I had suited myself well with my classmate, even I got myself leading the whole class of MB0805 to achieve total camaraderie. "I think, because of you we are united. Don't go.", I remembered that line when I told them that I'm leaving NYP. Till today, they claimed to be the best class of MB08. However, if I have not leave NYP, it will affect the rest of my future, especially FKUI.

Entering FKUI wasn't my choice. I was somehow brainwashed by my ambitious father about the opportunity of being a doctor. If I hadn't been brainwashed, I don't think that I can write this much on the blog post.

When I entered FKUI, I was impressed by Departemen Kajian Strategis, on their mass communication and mobilization skill. I aimed to enter that department as soon as I passed my mabim. But, on a very sunny day, Defit, Ikhsan, Indy and Bg Faraby told me "Diaz, why don't you give a try to enter BPM?". And you know the rest of the story. (:

TBM was the next big thing on my target list. I want that green vest that says "MEDIS" on its back. I was so confident that I can get it, but I failed the second interview. From that failure, a lot of lesson was learnt there - the need of self-discovery. Thanks to TBM, I am more aware of people around me now.

Neuroscience wasn't just a pushover as I thought it would be. Failing that module made me realize my true reason to be in FKUI: academic. I was so depressed when I was told that I only need "0.4" to pass that module. I even tried to fight for that 0.4 in this semester although it doesn't give a promising outcome. On the other hand, this failure became an insane motivation for me. Recently dr Priyo (Pemimpin Besar IDI), he told me "Ketika saya tingkat I, saya menjabat sebagai wakil ketua BPM. Saya sempat tidak naik tingkat 1. Tapi orang tua saya mengajarkan saya untuk selalu bertanggung jawab terhadap langkah apapun yang saya ambil. Dan karena itu saya ada disini.". Superb.

Congrats Kevin! You lifted the burden off from my shoulder. You took the responsibility of being the head of international class student of FMUI. If I had won, I have to explain to them my academic flaw. You also gave me the opportunity to explore more of myself by joining various activities in the regulars. Lead well, and think about your followers first then yourself. (:

PSDM. A regeneration department in FSI. Filled with highly competent people that will face the new student and mold them into professionals. I realized of my incompetency and thanked God that I didn't enter that department so that I can contribute more of backstage. (:

Last but not least. I remembered I was chasing after a classmate of mine. And I was outrunned by another person. I was regretting that to the extent of forgetting about it. And I was thankful that I had completely forgotten about it. If not, then I wouldn't be able to find a girl that completes my other half. They said that "Mencari semut di seberang lautan, tapi gajah di pelupuk mata tidak terlihat.". I'm so sorry that I made you wait for a year. When your glass is half-full, I promise I'll fill the remaining half. Thank God I found you on this very day. (:

I hope that these mosaics pieces of my life can reshape your mosaics to fit the puzzle of life. Thank you for all your wishes. I hope whatever you wished on me will be granted for you too. (: