R.E.S.P.E.C.T

I am merely human being

Forget Him is like an habit...

Shameful, but ain't able to change it

Not enough willingness

That morning, I felt like freeze to death. It was 04.00 am. Jakarta never been that cold in the morning. May be because I was bath too early, may be because of my empty stomach, or it just the wind. The wind of unpolluted air.
I count of minutes from my digital clock. It has been 10 minutes, the taxi have not ready yet and I am 60 minutes away to catch my flight.
Finally, the blue car showed up. The big grin of the man behind the steer_warmed me for awhile.
I asked him to turn off the AC, and told him where I need to go.
Airport is 20 minutes distant from my place, and this morning, the street is mine.
The blue car divide the road, may be I won't late for my flight.
One polite ask from the man, made me think twice.
I never been chatty to the man behind the steer, but he asked me to accompany him with light chat. He said he affraid to fall asleep if he didn't speak.
I am bit mind, I don't like to talk in the morning when my mood is sour.
But I changed my mind. May be a little chat would made my start-up better.
I started to ask him my-standart question, "what time he left home?"
He asked for sure my background, how old I am, what I do for living, and my family. Very standart question for Indonesian. Because outside Indonesia, asking about age is very sensitive.

Then, he started telling me hundred stories about interesting people he met along his job being man behind the steer. He had a lot of customer from various segments, a wife, a lonely wife, a worker, a mad worker, government employees, a very powerfull government employee, or it just a girl, an ignorant girl.

What really amazed me, beside he is very chatty, he is very smart. I don't have a courage to ask him about his educational background, but from his weight of topic, I assume he is not 6th grader graduation.

He talked about 'nasionalism', cop (seems it is a must-topic for every chatty man behind the steer), Jakarta and its cost of expense, and the last, very interesting : An Ignorant youngster.

I did believe that youngster recently very aware with news and knowledge. They really did care with National Issues. Some of them care with showing an act i.e.: 1000 likes on facebook (an act right?), broadcast message : lack of blood, or hold up a sign protest in front of public areas.

I don't do a cynical talk here. It is an act, a real act of youngster that showing a careness.

Hey, what we need the most to start solving others problem is CARE. How can we fix something if we didn't even care? Care is an act.

But, unfortunately, as youngster sometimes we forget to RESPECT. I believe that our parents and teachers has given us a huge chance to us to be brave and stand up for every thing we've done. As long as we believed that we are correct, we have every rights to defend or offend.

Then I remember of couple friend of mine, very smart and brave. Talking in front of public is very usual thing for them. Stand up for the opinion is their habit. But, sometimes, when they are too busy to say their opinion, they are forget to listen.

When they are very satisfied with their educational background, and excellency, they ignore the experience one. When they are very proud about their young age, they are underestimate the olders.

They are very creative so they close their eyes on procedure, and regulation. Innovative, that's the call- top over everything.

Well I am not an elder, but I have tons of elder friend .I am understand with that's temporary habitual of proud youngster. But there is a line that we cannot accross in this life no matter how smart we are, namely respect.

No one doubt our certificate of graduation, but there is no certificate in attitude. So How can we prove our attitude unless we are really need to show it on act?

There are no more grade after graduation. Our true evaluation really begin after we graduated, evaluation without grade.

I believe that smart generation not only on brain, but on heart also. Being right doesn't mean that we are invicible or absolute. We still need to listen others feedback, input, suggestion, or just other opinions no matter how great we are. Sometimes with just really listen and put an care expressions is enough to show our respect.

Now I really understand what the elders concerns about the importance of Emotional Quotient more than Intelectual Quotient (ah guess I am old now-not that i'm promoting ESQ training).

Well, the man behind the steer teach me that my educational background was nothing in front his wisdom. My hours of reading is not comparable in front of his experience.

He met hundreds different personalities, respecting each of them so that's how his character have been built.
He might didn't give 1000 likes on facebook, or tweeting about blood donation. He just do his little part in this life, teaching a youngster like me about respect, so I can share to my other youngster friends.

Our excellency is not an ultimate weapon to vanish our respect to others.
Let heads down, stop embrace ourself with righteous opinion and start listening!




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