Monday, July 21, 2008

Get Some, Lose Some

For everything in life, there will always be a trade off. You get some, and you lose some. That's why many people said, life is about making choices. And it depends on you, which part of your life you're willing to sacrifice.

This is the topic I've been discussed with my Mom a couple of nights ago. It's started with talking about my uncle, who'd been moved to the States three years ago because he and his whole family got a Green Card from the US Embassy. Of course my big-fat family were very surprised when he told us the news. What? Moving to LA? In his age? While he's already got a great job here? What was he thinking????

But he said he wanted to get his family a better life..And so he left, with his wife and two kids.

And what did we hear afterwards? The news from him that "Life's here is indeed hard", and couple of years later, his wife's desire to come home to Indonesia because her mother was very sick.

So when they were back to Indonesia for holiday last month, we saw two different things. The kids who now speak English very fluently (and speak Bahasa Indonesia a bit like Cinta Laura, hahaha)and look very happy and healthy; and the mom and dad who looked very thin and a bit stressed out. Hmmm..you get some, and you lose some....

And I can't stop remembering lots of my friends and cousins who chose to live abroad. They definitely get some, maybe even more than what we have here...A nice environment, a good living, a great experience to know people from around the world and also a chance to visit many beautiful places. But do those things could overcome the "losing" part? Spending times with the big family and the bestest friends, the familiarity of this country, great food, and all loving memories in their hometown? Is it all worth it to get a brand new happy life and losing your good-old one?

I thought about my cousin who's studying in London and met the man of her dream there. And how her mother was very afraid of losing her and letting her live in a country with 10 hours flight to go. I also thought about my closest friends (and future in laws! hehe) who still have their long distance marriage and struggling to choose where they will spend their life in the future. It's a hard choice, I can tell.

Many times, I envy those people who can take such a brave decision. Trying to find their new familiarity instead of just living the old ones. But still, I cant imagine to live far from my family (call me Indonesia banget! haha..), or experiencing my aunt's fear that she'll come too late for her sick mother.

Still, we only live once..Lots of opportunities out there, which may not gonna come twice. And finally, we can only hope that we make as little regrets as we can in our life...=)

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