Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Mind Over Matter

I grew up with Yu' Nur coming around our house every day, she was our grocery seller back in the days in rural Java. When we first met, she was carrying this bamboo baskets around the neighborhood filled with veggies, meat, seafood, what ever people asked her to bring. She then gradually selling things using a motorcycle, then a small pick up truck. Later on she opened a small lesehan restaurant. She's one of a kind.

Two years ago, during a visit she told me her house is getting better. Now, she has indoor sitting toilet for her guests. Why only for the guest? Cause she still does her business in the river!

So I was curious, as she was staying at my place for almost a week, did she have problem or not? She said, she didnt do #2. Why? She needs the river. I offered to take her to the nearest river but she refused. When I was worried about it, she said matter-of-factly that she did it before, a week is nothing. She went without any bowel movement for 40 days during her Hajj pilgrimage!!

Between laughter and amazement I asked her how did she do that? She said in her cute accent, "I got there, and tied a knot on my cloth and said salawat, then I didnt have to go for 40days, and felt fine"

Now that's an example of mind over matter.

3 comments:

colson said...

It's a miracle. Two actually.

The shit story is one for the Guinness Book of Records!

But the real, examplary, miracle is the one froms rags to, not to riches but to relatively decent living. That's a wonderful achievement I guess.

triesti said...

:D I thought the same thing about the guinness...

Her restaurant was thriving until her in-laws took over. Now she's into lumbering business with several hectares of land. Not bad at all..

Unknown said...

what a woman!