Padang 3# Simple Box of Happiness

I am kinda man who is very simple. I always take whatever I find instead of whining and expect something that hard to find. I have the simple thought of what is beauty and what is pleasure. Lucky me, these mindset make me be a very adaptable man. Dealing with my recent job, it's very helpful. My jobs required me to be ready to relocate to some different cities in a month or two. Kinda job that I had been dreaming of when I was a student.

 

Two recent months I was relocated to two different cities which are very different each other. One is a metropolitan wannabe city, and another is a city with no fancy café or big malls to escape when I feel tired as I do in my previous town that I have been living in for years. However, I was amazed. I find myself enjoy the living in the no big mall city as same as in the metropolis city. The two cities have their own interesting side, at least based on my paradigm of what is interesting.

 

The Metropolis wannabe has its complete facilities that you need. You'll find yourself easy to transport everywhere with the comfort transportation. When you miss your favorite original delicacies from your own hometown, you'll easily get it available because they open the restaurant with the same taste and even atmosphere with the own you have in your hometown. With the franchise system, it's easy to find your favorite black pepper steak you usually have for your dinner in your hometown. The no big mall and fancy café city won't provide you that easy access and delicacies place to escape, but I find its different interesting side. I amazed when I found myself can do no whining because I couldn't find the good coffee shop with the widescreen home theaters and a cozy sofa. I find that the full decorated 'angkot' is very interesting. I feel that having city tour by that 'angkot' and uproar town bus very interesting. The seashore which is located just a few minutes ride from the central of city is a place to enjoy the very magnificent sunsets. When I need to fulfill the adventure instinct of mine, I'll ride away heading to the rural area which is lies a few kilometers away from my place. No need to ask people to get there. Using a mountain as a spot guide, I'll randomly take the way which is heading there. After getting once or twice lost, I found myself surprised with the green view and clear as a glass river. The nature atmosphere quickly fills my soul and be the fuel for me to continue my-full-of-works-days.

 

I never can stand to see the water. I always want to get myself jumping and swimming, or at least let my feet steeped into the cold fresh water. In my recent wandering to Lubuk Minturun, a clear watered river in suburban area of Padang, I spent five hours to swim in the streams. It was hard flowing streams which take you hundred meters away in a minute. I also tried to jump from the high edge as many little kids did. At first, I thought it was a piece of cake. However, when I got in the tip of edge and looked down the stream water, I felt my heart throbbed quicker. It took more than twenty minutes for me to gather all my bravery to jump down there. I knew, it was only water down there, so no problem if I jump. I also knew, these kids found themselves fine after jumping. No matter how much I tried to inject the logic into my brain it's still born down by my feeling. In the end, when I finally jumped, I addicted to try more. I enjoyed the moment when my bravery bore down my anxiety and took y body drifting from the edge into the stream.

 

Recently, I tried to explore the no big mall town more. After an exhausting week which full of many things to do, I invited my boss to do the city tour. I took him to try the 'angkot' and city bus. As we usually do, we had nice long English discussion along the way. People looked us as we are the stranger because we spoke in English. Actually, it was kinda marketing strategy we always use. In many cases it works. At first, we just wanted to visit the city's beautiful campus which lies on the highland miles away from the central of city. However, when we were wandering around that 'power rangers' quarter' we saw the narrow green valley which is split into two part by a river. My adventure instinct popped up. Without a map and clear direction, we started to walk down the hill of 'power ranger' quarter' went along the earthen path with the bushes in the sides. After 20 minutes, we found the village street and tried to walk along to the foothill. After about 45 minutes, we found a green rice field along the river sides with the green hills background. It was very refreshing to see these views. We kept walking until we arrived in the quit place with no human life but black stones in the middle of rivers. We directly found the big flat stone where we could lay down or body while enjoying our feet steeped in the slow flowing water. The wild tree with the shocking yellow flower above us guarded us from the sun's heat.

 

The symphony of flowing water, singing bird and blowing wind in the natural atmosphere took us into the deep sleeping. We woke up with very fresh body and soul when the afternoon came. We were ready to get back to our daily routine with fresh soul and new spirit.

 

The refreshing for me is that simple. A backyard view for me is magnificent. It depends on how I set my heart and paradigm. I don't really need a luxurious holiday with superb eateries and a cozy accommodation. It doesn't mean I don't want that kinda holiday. I want it but I do not require it for my refreshing. I always try to enjoy each place with its uniqueness without whining about something doesn't exist in my surround. Therefore, when my mother ask me about living in the new places whenever I'm relocated I always happily tell her how beautiful the place I live in.