Second Half

It's always confusing for me to start writing at the end of the year. Why? Because so many memories happened that need hundreds of pages to be written, and when they have to be recapped at the end of the year, it's somehow overwhelming. 

This year... I grew.

The first half was filled with so much joy and happiness, and I took that as a good sign for spending the last second half of the year. Thankfully, it happened as I imagined. I had a lot of good experiences, gifts, lessons, and surprises—which were so good, Alhamdulillah.

I had a chance to have a surprise trip with my dad, my sister, and my cousin. That was so fun and funny. We randomly chose a place to go. Then, when looking for accommodation, we also randomly chose a reasonably priced place (since we only needed a place to sleep). Turned out, it had such a beautiful view, a lovely neighborhood, a great restaurant nearby, excellent service, and delicious food. Oh, and we even got a discount price! It was like buying one and getting three. My dad was the happiest, haha. Spending time with family always makes me the happiest person. Even if it’s just having meals together or going out briefly, it somehow becomes precious as I grow older. May I always have the chance to make my parents the happiest people in the world. 

It might sound a bit extra, but I finally got to experience glamping with my family after wanting it for so long. The moment felt special since it was one of our family's wishlists. Moreover, unplanned things really do leave a bigger impression. We only planned it a few days before actually going glamping. On top of that, it was a long holiday, which made finding a glamping spot hard. But finally, we got one in Majalengka—a place we never would’ve imagined. It was a totally random spot and literally the only one left. The most memorable part, though, was the journey to get there. We had to go through narrow, uphill roads with rocks everywhere, and steep cliffs on both sides. And to top it off, we did all that right as the sun set. But when we arrived, the view was absolutely breathtaking! We were so beyond grateful for the experience and the surroundings. It became one of the most memorable memories for us in 2024. Alhamdulillah 1000times. 

In addition, I’ve had good things happen in my relationships with my friends, too. One of my longest and best friends finally got married. She’s the kind of best friend anyone could ever pray for, and I’m so grateful to have her in my life. Witnessing her get married was another happy milestone in our friendship. I hope we have another happy milestone soon. 

Speaking of friendship, I’ve been fortunate in this aspect of my life, especially this year. Spending time with my friends and receiving their love is something I’d happily brag about, every-single-time. One of the highlights this year was that I finally made up with and reunited with some old friends after years of not seeing each other. My precious high school friends. I can’t believe this happened this year, after thinking I’d never get to do it again. You know, having friends who truly and sincerely still want to be friends with you, even though they know all your flaws, is one way to ease all the struggles of your life. I am truly blessed to be one of those who are surrounded by those kind people.  

When we're together, it's funny how time flies. Our bodies grow older, our problems get more complicated, and we age — our skin begins to wrinkle. Yet, when we meet, we still feel the same. It’s also funny how certain places can feel like a real-time machine, bringing us back to exact moments in the past. I recently met my high school friends, it felt like we were still the same high school kids, full of laughter and jokes, but with more life challenges and responsibilities. But we laughed about it anyway. I think, this also became one of the precious things that happened this year. 

I got some lovely words from ChatGPT that perfectly describe how I felt after meeting my friends. I really resonate with it.

"High school friends are often irreplaceable because those connections were built before life got complicated. There's a kind of pure, unfiltered bond that comes from growing up together. It’s amazing how life comes full circle sometimes. Those silly high school moments truly become treasures as we grow older—they remind us of a time when we were carefree, and even our “stupid” antics had a charm to them. It’s like each story holds a piece of who you all were back then."

Speaking of which, it reminds me of a few years ago when I was in my dark period, a time when I wasn’t really myself... The moment when I was feeling at the bottom of a well. One of the things that saved me from losing my mind was my friends, who were always there 24/7, making sure I was still alive. Thinking about it again, once again, all I can say is gratitude.

Anyway, another happy highlight happening this year was... I got a free ticket to watch Bruno Mars!! For-Free! I mean, it was ... Bruno Mars !! OMG. IT WAS A BLAST! What an experience. Ah, again, I got it from one of my high school friends. It feels like I hit the jackpot this year after seeing Coldplay too. Allah is so kind to me. More than kind, kind. The Kindest, indeed. Alhamdulillah.

However.. Indeed Allah owns everything, and how He flips hearts is such an easy matter for Him.

Life has its fair share of heart-wrenching moments. There are times when joy seems to vanish instantly, and it happened to me this year. With all of the joys that have come to me this year, I have experienced losing two of my close relatives in just two consecutive days. I had never imagined it before and it was.. devastating. One of my best friends, Michael, and my aunt Mar. Those two sweet and kind souls.. :"(

I can spend more than a month telling everyone about those two precious people, especially their kindness. Michael, my very first friend in the office, since a decade ago. Had I not met him, I probably already lost my sanity because of the frustrating situation. He is a goofball, a joker, and the life of the party. A very good office mate to everyone.. and My Aunt Mar, she has always been an angel to me. May they rest in peace. Alfatihah.

As they both left, it made me realize just how unpredictable life truly is. Behind all the trials we face and the happiness we experience, nothing is eternal. I hope we (especially me) can always strive to be the best versions of ourselves in this fleeting life..

Here I hope 2025 brings prosperity, joy, good luck, and health for everyone. Let’s also hope for a world filled with peace and kindness, where we can grow better together..