Election fever is coming. We are now watching a warm up of presidential elections in US and Turkey. Tomorrow, there will be a local election in Britain and this weekend a contest between left and right party in France. People will decide whether we should take this path or that road. In Britain, the voters will punish Labour as they’ve been in power too long. In Turkey, there will be a duel between Islamic and Secular Parties. In France, they will decide whether they should adopt an Anglo-Saxon economy as in US or Britain where free competition and lower taxes is proposed by Sarkozy or they should instead follow a socialist type of economy as in Scandinavian countries which giving more important role to labour union with higher taxes as advocated by Royal. Let’s see.
The story is quite different back in my country, where the biggest problem lies on the fact that the majority of people face the hardship of life. Understanding this hardship, a day to day struggling of life of our people should always be in the mind of politicians as they are the ones who sell dreams and we must put our trust to them (because there is no other way, isn’t it?).
One shall understand a problem before offer a solution. A key here lies on understanding. Although, I must remind my self, understanding is only a half way, the other rests on the delivery. But, how would you deliver if you don’t understand?
One good picture to understand the hardship of life can come from these two great stories: Pelle the Conqueror and John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men.
I watch the movie long time ago. The movie tells a story about a struggling life of a man and his son, Pelle. They worked in a farm and faced the worst hardship of life, but the dreams of better life keep their spirit alive. When the father failed to marry an old lady, it shattered his heart and finished his dream to have a nice cup of tea every afternoon. The aging father knew that his dream was over and realized the farm would not give any future to Pelle, so he must let Pelle go to pursue his own dream.
I read the book yesterday. It reminds me of Pelle. The book celebrates a friendship of George and Lennie. They both also work in a farm, or to be precise in the ranch as it sets in the US. They have nothing except each other and a dream that one day they will have their own farm. But, sometimes life has its own cruelty way. When Lennie can not control himself, the dreams of having a shared farm is suddenly gone. George must kill Lennie.
Both stories are very compelling as they show a bitter life versus a sweet dream.
Thus, I suppose, in the face of many difficulties, hope and dreams will keep us alive. So, let’s share our dreams together. Let’s have a big project that there will be a nice comfortable home called Indonesia. Each of us has an important role on this big project. It will involve everyone, no one is left alone and no one is left behind. We make sure there will be rooms for everybody, ladders to climb for those who work hard, net to catch up for ones who fall, thus giving all the opportunities to have a better life, not only for all of us but also for our children.
Surely, every one of us is willing to work hard and conquer its hardship if we keep these dreams alive.
