KORUPSI JALAN

Tanpa sadar kadang kita mengambil sesuatu milik publik yang bukan menjadi milik kita. Yang membedakan hanyalah seberapa banyak dan seberapa sering kita melakukannya. Dan secara jujur kita menyadari (mengakui) atau tidak? Kita tidak bisa menjadi seputih dan sesuci yang kita bayangkan. Selalu saja ada kesalahan yang kita buat entah itu kita sengaja atau tidak. Kita merasa benar dalam satu hal, tetapi sebenarnya salah dalam hal lain.

Seperti apa yang dikatakan oleh teman saya, Ahkmad Karnandi, “Di Jakarta yang padat penduduknya ini, banyak orang punya mobil. Itupun belinya secara kredit---ngutang. Sedangkan mereka tak punya lahan untuk menaruh mobilnya. Akhirnya mobil itu ditaruh di pinggir jalan di depan rumah mereka. Sehingga membuat jalanan jadi macet. Dan itu dilakukan setiap hari. Mereka mengambil sesuatu milik publik. Dan itu namanya juga---Korupsi Jalan.”

KESUKSESAN DAN KEMANDIRIAN

Dulu saat masih kecil  kita tak bisa makan. Lalu ibu, bapak, saudara tua, kerabat, menyuapi  kita setiap hari. Setelah beberapa tahun kita belajar (makan), kita bisa makan sendiri. 

Dulu saat masih kecil kita tidak bisa bicara. Lalu ibu bapak, saudara tua, kerabat, tetangga melatih kita bicara. Setelah beberapa tahun belajar, baru kita bisa bicara. 

Dulu saat masih kecil kita  tidak tahu apa-apa. Lalu ibu, bapak, saudara, kerabat, tetangga, teman, guru sekolah dan teknologi (media) memberitahu kita. Lalu dalam beberapa tahun kita dinyatakan lulus dan tahu banyak hal. 

Saat awal bekerja di instansi atau perusahaan, kita tidak tahu apa-apa. Ternyata belajar di sekolah itu belum cukup untuk bekerja. Lalu trainer, atasan, dan teman-teman melatih (memandu) kita bagaimana bekerja. Setelah beberapa bulan, kita baru bisa bekerja dengan baik sesuai standar operasi yang ada. 

Begitulah proses kesuksesan, kemandirian dan bekerja mandiri terjadi. Kita tidak bisa melakukannya sendiri. Ada banyak orang di sekitar yang terlibat dan membantu kita. Ada banyak anak tangga yang harus kita lewati. Ada banyak suka dan duka yang harus kita nikmati. Ada banyak waktu, biaya, tenaga dan pikiran yang harus kita korbankan untuk mencapai kesuksesan. Ada banyak faktor yang terlibat, baik secara langsung maupun tidak langsung yang kita tidak ketahui. Semuanya tidak serta merta, tetapi melalui proses yang rumit dan panjang. 

Sangat rumit untuk dijelaskan dengan perkataan maupun tulisan. Melainkan hanya ringkasan atau gambaran singkat. Kadang kita baru memahaminya setelah semua berlalu. Itupun dalam waktu puluhan tahun berikutnya. Bahkan kadang kita tidak pernah akan memahaminya sama sekali—selamanya. Tetapi  janganlah lupa! Bahwa semua itu terjadi atas kehendak (izin) Tuhan. 

(****Ditulis oleh: Sri Widodo, ST; 30 Juni 2015)

PETANI TUA DAN PETANI MUDA

Ada seorang petani desa yang sudah renta dan lemah. Dia tampak asyik sedang menanam pohon kelapa di kebunnya. Seorang petani yang masih muda mencoba mendekati petani tua itu. Lalu ia  bertanya, “Wahai kakek, mengapa engkau menanam pohon kelapa ini, sementara engkau sudah tua renta? Bukankah umurmu tidak sepanjang usia pohon kelapa ini sampai ia berbuah?” 

Sambil tersenyum kakek itu menjawab, “Memang umurku sudah tua, bahkan tulang-tulangku pun sudah terasa lemah. Tapi aku menanam pohon kelapa ini, agar bisa dimanfaatkan oleh anak cucuku nanti. Bukankah dulu aku bisa  menikmati tanaman di kebun ini, karena orang-orang sebelumku yang telah menanam sebelumnya? Biarlah ia menjadi amal jariah bagiku di hadapan Allah.”

WHAT IS THE BEST JOB?

I have been watching animal behavior in my home. They are colony of ants, spider, and lizard. The three animals take its whole life in its own way. First, an ants colony; they are moving every where to find food or sugar.. When one ant got a food, it calls the other ants. In a moment after, there are so many ants surrounding the food. Seem the ant colony is never stopping to sleep. They seem never stop moving even in the night and dark. They are working together. 

The second animal is a spider, it make its large net in a place or tree. It is waiting for a moment in the center of the net. When mosquito or butterfly was trapped in the net. Spider can eat the food.

The third animal is lizard. It stays quiet and waits near a bright light lamp. When it see the mosquito near, it is running fast to catch. Lizard gets food to eat. 

Before I was asking, which the best way to do the job for food. First I said the ant colony. They did the best way to get food. They are looking for food every time, moving everywhere. They seem never stopping to sleep. They are also working together. So they have many friends. It is right for the ant colony about working together. 

But I am thinking twice. The three animals just did the way they understand. It can’t do the other way to get food. Their ability was given by God. So there is no best way to get food. The ant does the best it can, that is the only way, moving everywhere. So the lizard and spider they do what they can do, they can’t do getting food in the other way.

The lesson we take: We are people just do what we can do. We are selling the best what we have to get food or money. Some people are using their legs; some people are using their hands to get money. Some people are using his beautiful voices. Some people are using his mind. Some people are using her beauty face. We have to sell our best ability we have. We have to find the ability inside us and then show it and sell it to others. Soon or later, we will get the prize, the money and so on. Some people have to work hard and more every day. Some people have to think more every day.

Now I understand. Some time I have to tell other people something new. This something new can be meaning a good idea. Some people will say ‘Yes I believe you’ and some people will say ‘No, I don’t believe you.’ Some time easy to convince other people. Some time it’s so difficult to convince other people. But I have to try it. Soon or later I have to say it to people near. Believe or not believe is not the top level priority. It’s part of the process that I have to take. But also I have to take the responsibility. I must have a good reason that is making a sense.

FIXING A PROBLEM

I was an engineer of machinery factory for two years before (PT Japan Servo Batam). And I know more about machinery fixing problem. I can only fix the computer or machine if I have already known what the main problem is. So the first step to do in fixing a machine is finding: “What is the main problem?” If I can’t find the problem, I can’t do machine fixing.

Sometime I only need to reset or change a line program inside (mind of the machine) and OK. Sometime I found some part defect or burn inside. I have to change the new part. But some time I can do nothing, the part I needed isn’t anymore in the market shop. The world is always changing, so the machine. There is always new machine made. It means, old machines and parts were not made anymore. When old machine can’t be fix than must be scrapped. My Manager recommended buying the new ones, its mean more money needed.

Sometime I found simple problem in the machine, small wire is loosing or wrong set number entry. For me or engineer, it’s a simple problem, but it seems huge problem for people who have the machine. They common people didn’t know the machine inside; even they work near the machine everyday.

Sometime I need to call my friends to help. I have already known the machine problem is. But I  can’t open the cap, the screw it too hard to open.

Sometime we called outside engineer from outside. The man who more familiar with that machine, a man from machine maker factory. He is from Singapore or Japan. The Factory must pay him more (hundreds million rupiah), for all accommodation needed.

That’s my experience in engineer job. And I think the same thing in common people life. So I use it everyday in every where. If we want to fix something, we have to know what the problem is.

To do so, we have to listen and watch carefully. We need need more time to get right and correct information. Sometime information we got, is not so clear whether right or wrong. Sometime people are giving information that is not right. He or she has purpose inside that is to cheat or other reason. Sometime we must do it again and again to get the best solution. (Sri Widodo, ST)