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.