Artist

Everyone is an artist in their own life…..

We all heard a saying that says that life is a stage and we are the artists. Thinking about it, how so true that is.

Growing up in Indonesia, I never thought that I will live in the US when I grow up- or that I will be an American or I will be an Engineer or I will be living the live I am currently living finely.

Started in middle school, I was fascinated with my Aunt’s English collection book. That was when I started fell in love with English as a language. Of course, the romance novel always sounds more romantic in the English language. I started dreaming of the City of London, the countryside of Yorkshire, New York City, Los Angeles, South Africa, The Balkans countries, and Kingdoms. I dreamt of being the heroine in that simple romance book. A Cinderella, a businesswoman, a journalist, a traveler, an audacious adventuress. The dream stayed with me subconsciously through high school and college. After graduated from college, destiny – God granted me the opportunity to work in the US.

Working hard is always my go to line, I might not be the smartest kid on the block, but by hard work, I will reach my success. My 20th to my 30th was passed without vivid memories, it was full of work, hard work, dating many many guys, buying my first house, my 2nd, my 3rd…and, ‘hustle-ing’, trying to make life work. It was the phase where I was trying to reach my dream in my career and so called “love” life, more like what the mainstream think of love life should be. I was so confused with all those. Nevertheless, there were ups and downs; many arguments, not so good break ups, winnings, success stories, superficials life, materialistic life, confused with life and many more that you can think of.

I thank God for His protection, God always protects me and I believe that. In every circumstance He is faithful. He always provides, He comforts me, and He heals me. Just as His name.

Now being 35 years old, I feel that I am growing up, that’s how my BFF said; “finally”. I earn my financial freedom, which is super important as a foundation for me to decide how I want to live my life, my success in my career, I m just a cool kid that love engineering. Helping other to make their life simpler and efficient seem to be the theme of my day work. I became more conscious of myself and being mindful of others or beings (dogs & trees mostly).

I started to like myself more; my sister called me “flamboyant”, ambitious, hard-working individual, oddly smart, beautiful, classy, funny, sarcastic, can be rude sometimes, generous and have impeccable taste and style (as my adopted Mom’s said). I have the ability to adapt and adjust to changes naturally. I really think that’s what travel has taught me, also the fact that I choose to be out of the ordinary. In everything I mean, in life, in my choice of living and in style. Jay-Z said – why choose to be an average?.

So true right, why do we want to be an average? I was uncomfortable at the beginning, being a misfit of what society holds or what the mainstream thinks. I was simply confused since I have no other option to formed my opinion. Reading a book, watching movies and traveling have broadened my vision of how I want to live. Everywhere I went so far, they all make me fall in love with their culture/language/people. China (Shanghai), Korea (Seoul), Italy (Florence), Spain (Barcelona/Madrid/Sevilla), Cambodia (Siam Reap/Phnom Penh), Morroco (Marrakesh), Malaysia (Penang), London, Canada (Vancouver), New York City, and Houston TX. They all beautiful in their own way and I choose to accept and adopt them in their un-perfectness.

My dog is the master on self-confidence and not being a misfit in her own narrative world, she is a 8 years English Bulldog, she has an underbite, slightly chunky, snore when sleep, sometimes issue with the skin due to excess skin. My, good friend, Nick used to say to her, you are so ugly that you are beautiful. She is beautiful in her own way, the way she is so tender towards me, greet me happily when I am home, droll all over, can’t keep my clothes clean, chewed my shoes, follow me for food, or when she disobeyed me completely because she can. Never once she doubts her lack of feature or temper to be a vice of character. She is being honest living her life as a proud English bulldog and never once she wishes that she could be a Labrador or a Yorkie. And you know what- she is indeed superbly beautiful, no question about that and is she a misfit? Not at all- she is perfect in her un- perfectness. I so think perfectness is boring nowadays.

Similar thing in my life, when I started to like myself, I became more comfortable with my self (vices and traits), my heritage, my choices. And know I realized that I am an artist in my own life. I am the heroine, I became what I think I am and I am thankful that I got introduce to many things and places when I was in middle school and started to dream, about everything. My financial status is what I think I am, my social status is what I think of it, my blogger ability (learning vlog at the moment, which I hope I can share with all of you guys soon) is what I make of it. I am what I think I am. People may have different perceptions of each status I mentioned above, but seriously none of the above are their business.

I read the book by James Allan; You are what you think you are sometimes back. I would recommend you guys read it. It is important to cultivate good and positive thoughts, never give room to any negativity. Some people might argue that we have to prepare for the worst to live in reality- and I am not against that, but used that knowledge to create room for preparedness in a positive way.

God promises this; You can be whatever you can be, so many scriptures in the Bible mentioned God gives us the ability to achieve “whatever” we could think of. He blesses us with it too. He created us in His Likeness and breathe breath in our lungs.  So start thinking of what would you like your story to be- what genre? Is it a suspense? a thriller? an action?

I choose mine to be Romantic Comedy. And romantic is up for everyone’s interpretation. Not necessarily have to be with opposite-sex but romance can be with the countries, with culture, with pets, or with the snow ( like what happened to me in Seoul early this year). And it is none of anybody business on how I would create my life.

So lets talked on my next blog on how are we progressing on being an artist… would love to hear

With warm love on this WFH time,

Bombon