Finding true freedom by being a free spirit in all we do<\/p>\n
\"Are we going to discuss the Bali bombings over Christmas lunch?\"
\nexclaimed 12-year-old Jacqueline.<\/p>\n
Her voice, with the sharpness of a blade, interrupted the
\nadults talking about the horrors of the Bali bombings around the
\ntable in a home in a suburb of Sydney. A sudden silence fell
\nover, before conversation slowly resumed on more mundane topics
\nof food and Christmas pudding.<\/p>\n
One of the adults looked at the girl lovingly and said, \"She
\nis right. Thank you, Jacqueline.\"<\/p>\n
I sat with my fork in midair, mesmerized by the little scene
\nthat had just unfolded before my eyes. I wondered how this could
\nhappen, so easily, so spontaneously. How could a young girl --
\nprobably still in elementary school -- open her mouth and clearly
\nand forcefully state her opinion?<\/p>\n
She spoke without hesitation and with feeling, going straight
\nto the point to express her opinion that talk of violence,
\nsadism, murder, slander and gossip were not appropriate topics of
\nconversation around the Christmas dinner table.<\/p>\n
I compared her to the legislators back here, trying to
\nvisualize their reaction in a similar situation. It was difficult
\nto imagine, because it is so rare to see such spontaneity in this
\ncountry.<\/p>\n
What's more interesting was that those involved in the Bali
\nbombings discussion -- the parents, uncles and aunts of the child
\n-- were able to accept the rebuke without any sense of resentment
\nfor being reminded by a child of what is appropriate Christmas
\nconversation.<\/p>\n
The child did so without having to fear retaliation from the
\nadults who would not, when they got her alone, call her to task
\nfor shaming them in front of their overseas guests.<\/p>\n
Indeed, how could such freedom of spirit be chastised?<\/p>\n
Questions kept rushing through my mind. How can such a culture
\nbe developed and fostered within the institution of the family?
\nHow can a child, without having to think twice about what she
\nwould like to say, open her mouth and say it?<\/p>\n
There was not just the family at the table but also two
\nforeign guests from Indonesia, including myself, that she had
\nnever met before. How could Jacqueline be so spontaneous?<\/p>\n
More surprising, how could the adults change the topic of
\nconversation after thanking her for the reminder? Is this what we
\nmean by a free spirit, a really independent soul? Is this missing
\nin my society, Indonesia, and is this the reason why the reform
\nprocess has yet to bring any meaningful change?<\/p>\n
I kept asking myself how such a critical mental attitude could
\nbe developed, with sharp and appropriate criticism, from someone
\nso young.<\/p>\n
I compared Jacqueline to my students at the university here
\nwhere I teach. There are times when I reach my wit's end trying
\nto stimulate them to ask questions, state their opinions, when
\nthey are submerged in our entrenched classroom culture: sit,
\nlisten, take notes, go home.<\/p>\n
This is what happens with students at university; I am not
\neven talking about society at large, let alone about Indonesian
\nadolescents in general.<\/p>\n
Will reform and change in our country only take place if our
\nnation and our people become free spirits? Will it take
\ndeveloping the courage to speak the truth without fear of being
\nlabeled uncouth, of breaking unspoken \"ethical\" laws even by
\nrunning the risk of being shunned by family and friends because
\nof upsetting convention?<\/p>\n
Could it be that only a free, independent spirit can make us a
\nfree and independent nation? And could it also be that without
\nsuch a daring mental attitude, our people will always be the
\nbumbling coolies of foreign masters?<\/p>\n
-- Azwar Hasan<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/finding-true-freedom-by-being-a-free-spirit-in-all-we-do-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }