You would think I'm crazy, seeing the post title. Me, whose nationalism is already going down the drain. Me, who almost never watches local shows and TV stations and just smiles and nods along when someone is talking about some local celebrities I've only heard and never seen, not even in TV. Me, who would be the first in line to deliver my harsh opinion on Indonesian bands and movies. Whose biggest dream is to get out of this messy jam-packed hellhole and book a one-way ticket abroad. Whose proudest moment to be linked to 'Indonesia' is when performing traditional dances.
But I love Jakarta when it's happy.
I love it when the town is being celebrated or when it's celebrating something, like Lebaran or Christmas. Everyone is in festive moods and cheering and happy and yelling gleefully and shouting joyfully and greeting strangers and praying together in the mosque and let's not forget the snacks for break-fasting. Streets are suddenly lined up with colorful drinks and foods in appealing food stalls and carts, sold at a very attractively low price.
I love the morning rush, the pre-dawn meal, the relief and gratefulness that echo throughout the town when the clock strikes 6 pm. I love overhearing conversations in the train when a woman says "DID YOU KNOW THAT--Oops, I can't gossip right now, I'm fasting." or a woman consoling her angry husband when a newspaper boy accidentally smacked his shoulder. or a non-Muslim opening his mouth to bite into a delicious apple but paused and put it back inside the plastic as he saw a woman wearing Muslims' veil next to him.
I love fasting month and I know I'm gonna love Lebaran. Fasting month is sadly coming to an end in the next two days and I hope, very sincerely, that all of us--including me and you who's reading this, whoever you are--will get another chance to improve ourselves in the next opportunity. There's always something to improve. No matter how often you pray or how religious you are, there's always something you know you can do better. Pray with more sincerity. Eat better. Drink better. Smile more. Fast more often. Donate more to the needy. Avoid anger and lies better. The next time you fast, do it with 110%.
See you in 2011, my favorite month of the year :)
