Bali: Homecoming

Sue Monk Kidd wrote in her book, The Mermaid Chair, “You can go other places, all right, you can live on the other side of the world, but you can’t ever leave home.”

I couldn’t agree more with Ms. Kidd. For me, home is not the only place where you were born or grew up, or place where your parents live, but you can also call a place where you find the light when everything grows dark as home.

Bali is one of the several places I call home. Even though I don’t have any house or dwelling place there, but part of my heart was left on this island. How could this happen? The answer is because, once, I lived for more than 3 years in Bali.

After leaving this island since 2015, finally, in the middle of last July, I have a chance to come back. A bunch of memories encourages me to wander around my happiest moment from my past. I miss them all and I will try to encounter some.

Back in 2011, I left Jogja for Bali to live there with my friend’s family. My friend and I had a dream to be an entrepreneur. We built a venture engaged in procurement and construction, though those fields aren’t exactly related to our degree at university but we had a lot of optimism to be a successful businessman. Apparently, we faced the cruel of this world without good weapons, after more than 3 years living in that realm, I gave up.

I try to search my old pathways in Bali. There is no big difference in Bali compared 2 years ago. This place is still beautiful and warm as can be. Kintamani is still as cold as ice, but its sunrise is as warm as a hug from your loved ones. Kuta is as hot as a slap in your cheek but its sunset is as cool as the mountain breeze. However, I have to admit that traffic congestion is getting easier to be found.

This longing hasn’t been fully cured, but this glimpse of old memories is just like a ton of oxygen that I absorb and flow through my blood. Sometimes a glimpse of memories gives us a small, lovely look at ourselves. And sometimes that is enough.

PS: I write this writing in English isn’t because I mastered English fluently. I just wanna encourage myself to improve my English ability. I’m sorry if the grammar or diction or whatever I write is awful. If you want to give me some advice or suggestions or even corrections, just utter it and I will receive all with my pleasure. Cheers :D