Ambengan Sega Kuluban - A Tray of Rice Complete with the Side Dishes and Salad

On Saturday, July 22, 2017 at Southeast Asian Studies Summer Institute (SEASSI) 2017 Poetry Night, I read a Javanese poem entitled "Ambengan Sega Kuluban" written by Turiyo Ragilputra. Since most of the audience did not speak any Javanese, I translated the poem into English. At the event, a student of mine read the English translation.

Here are the poems in Javanese and English.

Ambengan Sega Kuluban

Ambengan sega kuluban dieler ing tampah

Diladekake ing pasamuwan

Direncah bebarengan, kroyokan, rebutan

Ambengan sega kuluban

Ora an sing ngerti duweke sapa

Kejaba dadi pangane para wayang, para dhalang

Sing lagi lungguh methingkrang

(kidang lan truwelu, kinjeng lan kupu

Mung bisa nyawang sinambi ngeleg idu)

Ambengan sega kuluban, wis gusis dienggo pesta

Mung kari tampah ngganda amis, angganda amis

Banjur kanggo bal-balan para buta!

Kapethik saking : Antologi Geguritan Bledheg Segara Kidul

                                                                                 

                                                                           Anggitanipun Turiyo Ragilputra

That is What Friends are for

This morning in the doctor's waiting room while my husband was with the doctor, I read an article 'That is What Friends are for' in Reader's Digest (unfortunately, I did not remember when it was published). The article was a compilation of stories written by individuals whose friends helped them in many ways. It reminded me of a friend of mine.

It was 2008 when I had an ankle surgery after I broke it by slipping on black ice. At that time my husband was a teacher and taught evening classes. He usually left for work at around 2 pm and got back home at around 9:30 pm. With my leg in cast and my being under a lot of pain relieve medication, he did not want to leave me alone, especially at night. Well, how should we do it? Our relatives lived for away from us.

It worked out that I did not stay by myself. A good friend who lived about six miles away came every evening, at around 6 pm, as soon as her husband arrived home from work. She came everyday for about two weeks. She accompanied me until my husband was back. Not only that, she also brought dinner. I was, and will forever be, very grateful of what she did. 

I am blessed to have her as a friend.

Centreville, VA
May 31, 2017