The A.R.K

Unwilling and burdened to perform the task he was assigned for, one day Evan asked God, “I don't understand why You chose me?”

"You wanna change the world son, and so do I...” He said.

Then He continued, “People wanna change the world… Don’t know how to begin. Do you wanna know how to change the world son? One act of random kindness at a time”

By the time when Evan acted upon His wish to build an ark, his family was forced to flee the town for the unbearable shame that they had to face due to the public opinion that he was indeed senile. During one of the most doubtful times in her life, Joan, his wife had a very interesting chat with a stranger. Yet she didn’t know that she was conversing with God Himself:

“But my husband says, God told him to do it. What do you do with that?” she asked.

“Sounds like an opportunity…” God responded.

And when she looked back at him confused, He continued, “Lemme ask you something… If someone prays for the patience, you think God gave him patience? Or does He give him the opportunity to be patient?”

“If he prayed for courage, do you think God gave him courage or the opportunity to be courageous?”

“And if someone prayed for the family to be closer, you think God zaps them with warm fuzzy feelings? Or does He give them opportunity to love each other?”

Then finally she understood.

It came to no surprise that generally people around me would characterize me as a pretty gentle-dude. Yes, that most of the times I procured cute gifts on their birthdays and anniversaries. Yes, that I tried to be there when they needed me the most. Yes, that I would sometimes give donations for charities or offerings in the masses that I (seldom) attended. Yes, that I gave my efforts in fixing or moving things for people that I care about. But personally, it seemed so long ago (I couldn’t even remember when) that I really helped someone in dire needs of my personal assistance.

Other than the extreme hunger and thirst that I have to endure during my early-bird puasa/ fasting (as commanded by my shinse), I began to learn on how to be more patient, then also how to control my emotions better. While this experience actually humbled me a lot, as the ultimate effect, I then felt this extreme longing to give a part of myself to someone. A gift so great that would be utterly appreciated by the person I was helping, because she/ he was unable to help him/ herself at that time. Be it someone from my family, someone from my circle of friends and workplace, or even a total stranger.

After that I was semi-consciously repeating this stanza over and over again in my head: “If someone prayed for a value of life, you think God gave him a mocha tinted Maybach? Or a lot in Dharmawangsa? Or a key into his “treasure” at vault DBS? Hmm. (Sorry got carried away). Or does He give him the opportunity to be valuable?”

Then today, surprisingly, the opportunity to do so came upon me, gripping the core of my heart ever so tightly. It was as if the time stopped when it hit me.

(And for the sake of special-effects, there was an actual earth-quake shaking the grounds beneath my feet)

While Aryans tended to have big aspirations to change the world, very few actually knew where to start. And as God once said to Evan:

“One act of random kindness at a time”

With that note, I would also like to end this writing with an apology. For any wrong doings that I had committed in the past, for I am sure that there were too many. Especially to all my Muslim friends who are beginning the holy Ramadhan season this week. Let’s build a clean slate and start with a new heart in each and every one of us.

Overjoyed I was today (and over a strawberry shortcake as well):
Selamat Berpuasa

Tangerang, September 13th 2007.

The first part of this writing was taken from the script of
“Evan Almighty”
© Universal Picture. 2007