Midnight Thought - The Perfect Label

Inspired by the words of Amartya Sen in his book Identity and Violence: The Illusion of Destiny, he described himself as an Asian, an Indian citizen, a Bengali with Bangladeshi ancestry, an American or British resident, an economist, a dabbler in philosophy, an author, a Sanskritist, a strong believer in secularism and democracy, a man, a feminist, a heterosexual, a defender of gay and lesbian rights, a Hindu with a nonreligious lifestyle, a non-Brahmin, and a nonbeliever in an afterlife. Sen (73) is a Nobel Prize winner in economics. He is a global man and his works has inspired many people in this world.

There are million people who get trapped in a small corner of their potential life, and live their life without doing something really meaningful even for their personal life. How far can we go with our life? What is the limit? Where is the border line?

When I reach 60 or 70, what would be the perfect labels to describe me? At this point of time, I only have few labels that I know for sure will remain the same until I die: an Asian, an Indonesian citizen, an Indonesian with Batak ancestry, a Jesus follower, a Christian, a man, a heterosexual.

Pathros and Hafid

By October this year, my long journey will be reaching the toughest stage. This is my last chance and I don't want to repeat the same mistake again like I did in winter 2003. I must win this. Period.

"Victory comes only after many struggles and countless defeats" Taken from The Greatest Salesman in the World by Og Mandino. A great story for everyone, a story about wisdom, knowledge and success. This book is a good reminder that we all have to work every day and fail every day to reach our ultimate goal and that is the only way and there is no other way.