Bali's Sorrow, Our Sorrow

 The account of the terrorist bombs is a story of sorrow. It is also the same with the bombing in Bali. Hundreds of life were devastated. Even though Australian citizens are the greatest number among victims, but in the chill of death it is no longer relevant to talk about nationality. It is more significant to discuss about the human's sufferings.

Everybody wants to be happy, but some people daily life cause wounds and sufferings.  The September 11 2001 attack on the World Trade Center  twin buildings was indeed a darkness. And it tried to be solved by  another darkness by the United States and its allies' invasion to Afghanistan and Iraq. So there went the second bombing in Bali, terrorist bomb in Turkey, suicide bombing in Iraq, the kidnapping of Korean citizens in Afghanistan, the blasting of an airport in London, in the year Of 2012 the city of Boston US again was attacked by terrorist bomb.

Based on this reflection, civilization is chasing around from one darkness of hatred to other darkness of anger. In this case, Bali is sharing the light of understanding. Maybe the opinion of some peace activists is right,  Bali is the world's heritage of peacefulness.

The Light of Greatness

It was in Bali that the hatred of terrorist bomb (even though it happened two times) was not followed by more terrible malice. Hatred, anger, and bitterness were responded by hands those were holding and shaking each other. Hajj Bambang with his friends and Nyoman Bagiana Karang with his associates in Kuta, Bali, were not touched by the darkness of grudge, anger, and hatred. They walked radiantly enlighten a lot of sufferings.

Years after the tragedy, Hajj Bambang has received numerous national and international awards. Nyoman Bagiana Karang has become a member of the Indonesian parliament. Bali successively acknowledged as the best island for tourist destination in the world from a number of prestigious international medias. This is as if sharing lights of understanding that, in a place where hatred is not confronted by hatred, anger is not followed by anger, there hatred, anger, and grudge will be transformed into greatness. Perhaps that is why the highest mountain in Bali is the Agung (Great) mountain.

                                   

And through this manner of responding, not only Bali is painting the beauties of peacefulness, but also Islam through the exemplary of Hajj Bambang and his friends. The heart-touching Islamic role-models were not exist only in the Middle East, but in Bali as well. Without asking about religion, Hajj Bambang and his friends forgot about grudge, anger, hatred, and the fear of death in the grip of terror, to walk hand in hand alleviated a lot of sufferings. With this drama, it is as if Bali intended to revive the beautiful expression of Islam: rahmatan lil-alamin (be a blessing to the world).

Suffering is Purifying

As have been told in many stories of humanity, sorrow is double-faced: devastating and purifying. It is devastating when a person responds to bitterness and irritation with even darker spirit. In this case, sorrow is similar to a rolling ball of snow which is made bigger and bigger by the hays it rolled upon.

Sorrow purifies a being who has completely realized that there is guidance for life within sufferings. Quoting the experience of the Sufis, since the message of life exists even in the falling of a leave to the Earth, moreover in the suffering that devastates hundreds of life. If we focus on the guidance in every happening then suffering can guide us to the light. Let alone in the brightness, the light also shines in the darkness. This light is also the one guided Kuta in its time of sorrow.

In Eastern wisdom, sorrow is a moment to pay back our debts to life, parents, teachers, past time mistakes. Those who refuse fail to do the refund also create new obligation. Whoever flows with the sorrow is compensating the debt gratefully and then be free.

And fortunate are those who are made holy by suffering. Mostly because the journey passing myriad of sorrows grants them a boundless capacity to suffer. They are as grand as the ocean, which does not get affected by anything thrown into it. The greatness of life is unimaginable if death can be greeted in this manner.

Suffering is Connecting

Happiness is indeed a charm. However, it does not teach anything. Suffering is full of tears, yet there are so many humans made more perfect by suffering. Jalalludin Rumi shines because the sorrow of losing both his teacher and his manuscripts. Kahlil Gibran born and grew up in misery. Arjuna found enlightenment in deep grief. Pema Chodron entered the gate of enlightenment after her haven of loyalty toward her husband was trembled down by divorce.

Sorrow often makes us sensitive and it also encourages us to join hands. Above all, it forces us to profoundly realize that all beings are interconnected in this web called life. Whatever done in this web (good-bad, holy-unholy, right-wrong) will return to the doer.

Therefore, it is not an exaggeration if we conclude that the sorrow of Bali is ours as well. Does a rose not composed by  non flower elements (soil, water, sun light) as well? Does in the terrorist cruelty not lie a mesh of millennial old hatred? Does Bali’s sorrow not reminding humanity that it is only by love we can be happy? Apparently, suffering opens the window of love.

Only a few seekers taking the journey into their own selves (through fasting, meditation, dzikir, contemplation, yoga, etc.) wish to experience the taste of sorrow. Yet sorrow still comes like a guest visiting a mansion of life. Sometimes through disaster, death, misfortune, or failure. Nevertheless, whoever has been illuminated by the understanding that suffering opens the window of love knows that suffering is also a kind of light that guides the journey.