Staying healthy and strong until 'mudik' calls

Staying healthy and strong until 'mudik' calls

Wayan Sadia, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

What could be more gratifying for Muslims than being united
with relatives -- grandparents, parents, siblings, in-laws -- and
meeting friends during Idul Fitri or Lebaran, as it is popularly
called here, after fasting throughout Ramadhan.

Certainly, refraining from food and drink from dawn to dusk is
not easy. Thus, Muslims who observe the fasting month deserve the
joyous get-together at the end of the month.

On Sunday evening, several days after Idul Fitri, I was taking
my evening coffee as usual, when suddenly, I started thinking
about mudik (loosely meaning homeward travel to be united with
relatives). Muslims who care about their families and can afford
the age-long tradition travel back to their hometowns to
celebrate the biggest Islamic festival. They would spend a couple
of days with their relatives there, forgetting temporarily all
the burdens of their daily lives.

However, the joy of Idul Fitri does not last long, as
everybody has to return to wherever they came from to resume
their normal activities, be they corporate employees, civil
servants, teachers, traders, or whatever their profession may be

Then I started to wonder: What do I, being a non-Muslim, have
to do with this mudik business, anyway? I am now in my early
seventies, a grandpa of five grandchildren. I will conduct mudik
whenever destiny decides to close my history in this mortal
world. Of course, I am talking about a completely different
mudik. My future mudik will be a one-time event rather than an
event that can repeat. So, it is unique in nature. And please
note, the younger people whom I will leave behind will certainly
follow suit, sooner or later.

According to my Hindu religion, should you return to this
mundane world after death, you will assume another kind of life,
which could be better or worse than the current one depending
upon the past karma (deposit of actions). Every Hindu wishes to
become a human being for the second time. We consider it a
heavenly bonus.

No one knows when his or her life will be over. A doctor can
tell you with almost 100 percent accuracy when a conceived baby
will be born in terms of days or perhaps hours, thanks to the
modern science and technology. But there can be no guesswork as
far as death is concerned.

However, the least that I could do in anticipation of that
particular mudik is to be "ready".

Another thing is, according to my religion, I have to "refrain
from any new borrowing". And if you have old debts, pay them up,
until you are free of outstanding financial debts. Only then your
journey to heaven would be smooth, unhindered.

Still, my main concern is health. By nature, the older you
are, the weaker you are physically. Thus, I want to be fit all
the time. For that purpose, I avoid radical changes in my daily
routine, among other things.

I mentioned earlier that I have grandchildren. Honestly
speaking, grandchildren may boost your will to live longer. It is
blissful to watch grandchildren develop both physically and
emotionally with their pluses and minuses. But I don't want to be
trapped in the illusion that grandchildren could heal your
sorrow.

There is no such thing as eternal bliss or eternal sorrow in
this world. Grandchild are, by nature, selfish, and there are
moments when they don't behave themselves, which can be quite a
nuisance.

Recognizing that I am part and parcel of the community, even
at 72, I would not forget my social obligations as well as legal
duties like attending all sorts of celebrations such as
birthdays, weddings and circumcisions. Neither would I neglect to
pay household bills, etc. Not to mention showing sympathy to the
unfortunate and sorrowful fellow citizens in my neighborhood and
beyond.

I hope all this will keep me healthy and strong until the call
for mudik comes.