Kevin is a boy who might be described as “slow.” He didn’t learn his ABCs as fast as other kids. He couldn’t compete in schoolyard races. But Kevin had a way with people. His bright smile and big heart won him plenty of friends.

My friend Randy, the pastor at Kevin’s church, decided they needed a basketball team for boys. Kevin signed on and soon basketball became a center of his life. He practiced hard. While the other boys worked at dribbling the basketball and shooting lay-ups, skills Kevin would never master, he simply shot baskets. Or more correctly, he threw the ball AT the basket. He had a special spot near the free throw line. He threw and threw, and it occasionally went in. On the rare times that he succeeded, Kevin raised his arms and shouted, “Look at me, Coach! Look at me!” Randy looked at him. And smiled.

The day before their first game, Coach Randy gave each player a bright red jersey. Kevin was number 12. He scrambled himself into the sleeves and wore that jersey almost every day. Everywhere. One Sunday morning the church worship service was interrupted by Kevin’s excited voice. “Look, Coach!” He lifted his gray wool sweater to reveal the red jersey underneath with number 12 on the front. Nobody there minded the interruption; the congregation knew Kevin and loved him.

I’d like to be able to tell you that the team did well. But the truth is.they never won a game that season — except for the night it snowed and the opposing team never showed up.

At the end of the season, the boys played in the church league’s tournament. As the last-place team, they drew the unfortunate spot of playing against the best team — boys who had never lost a game all year.

Game day arrived. Both teams played their best, but the game went as expected. Near the end of the last quarter, Kevin’s team stood nearly 30 points behind. It was then that one of the boys called timeout. “Coach Randy,” he said, “this is our last game and Kevin has never made a basket. I think we should let him make a basket.”

The team agreed. Kevin was instructed to stand at his special place near the free throw line and wait. He was told that when he was given the ball, he should shoot.

Kevin was ecstatic. He ran to the floor and waited. When the ball was passed to him he shot — and missed. Number 17 from the other team snatched the rebound, dribbled down the court for an easy basket. But a moment later Kevin got the ball again. He shot — and missed again. Number 17 repeated his performance scoring two more points. Kevin shot a third and fourth time with the same result.

But slowly the other team seemed to figure out what was going on and the next time they snatched the rebound, a boy threw it to Kevin! He shot…and missed. Now every rebound came to him and he threw and threw toward the basket. Time was running down and Kevin still had not scored.

BOTH teams circled the boy by this time and all of the players were shouting, “Kevin! Kevin!” The crowd took up the chant. Soon everyone in the gym was shouting Kevin’s name.

Coach Randy was sure that time must have run out; the game HAD to be over. He glanced at the official clock. It was stopped at 4.3 seconds. Even the timekeepers joined in the mania and stood by their table shouting with the crowd, “Kevin! Kevin!”

Kevin shot and shot. Everyone was screaming. He attempted again and again and again and…miraculously, one of his shots took a crazy bounce on the rim. Everyone held their breath.

The ball dropped in.

Chaos reigned. Nobody remained seated. Everyone stood and cheered as if one boy had single-handedly won a world championship. Kevin’s arms sprang up in the air and he shouted, “I won! I won!” He had scored. His team escorted him off the court, the clock ticked down and the game was over.

That day an undefeated team retained their perfect record. But everybody won. Everybody. Because everybody had participated in a crazy conspiracy of kindness that was so compelling, so powerful, the earth itself might have stopped for a moment to rejoice with one young boy.

How beautiful it is when we all conspire together in kindness. Everybody wins.
~ Steve Goodier ~

source: http://www.skywriting.net/inspirational/stories/a_conspiracy_of_kindness.html

Perhaps, someone or something does not fluent in our lives today, but we dont know about tomorrow, so just think positive and once again, take a moment to look around. Give our hands to them even once in my life. May be tomorrow we will not see them again. Dont waste your time to take care yourself with no attention to another.

Have a nice day, look around you even once.

Untuk beberapa waktu, seringkali kemalasan melanda dan menjadikan blog sampah ini terabaikan terlalaikan bahkan tak terurus. Padahal semestinya, rencana awalnya adalah memang untuk membuang sampah-sampah yang menumpuk di pikiran. Nah, kalau sudah kembali ke tujuan semula, rasanya tidak ada alasan untuk tidak menulis, karena sesepele-sepelenya isi kepala sudah ada wadah untuk menampungnya, blog sampah.

Beberapa kesempatan, sempat tertulis sampah pikiran yang memang lahir dari kondisi pikiran kosong, hanya memang benar-benar tak terarah dan tak berujung, seperti halnya tulisan ini. Maka untuk mengenang kembali tujuan dibuatnya blog ini, maka saya menuliskannya sekadar mengingatkan kembali bahwa nge-blog tak harus berangkat dari kepiawaian menulis dan ide-ide cemerlang.

Bahwa dari sampah dan kosongnya pikiran, bisa melahirkan tulisan bahkan bisa lahir dari tatapan kosong ke layar monitor sementara jari-jemari menuliskan apa saja yang terlintas di kepala tanpa perlu ditata dan direka untuk kebaikannya.

Seperti halnya tulisan sampah ini yang memang lahir dari kebosanan dan kebisingan sehari-hari dan memang entah apa akan berguna atau tidak ke depannya. Semoga anda semua tak berkenan dengan tulisan sampah ini. Amin.

Bising dan bosan yang lahir dari keseharian dan mekanisnya kerja seperti menjadi mur dan baut dari mesin besar peradaban.

Gempur Abdul Ghofur

Jika saja aku jadi superman…???? seperti apakah rupaku..??? hahahahaha

Gempur Abdul Ghofur Entah yang salah di mana? atau apanya? Politik menyuburkan curiga dan waspada berlebihan, sementara sastra menyuburkan kelembutan dan ketulusan. Sepakat ndak? Juga, politik melahirkan orang-orang cerdas tapi seringkali meresahkan sementara sastra seringkali melahirkan orang-orang utopis penuh gairah kelembutan dan kasih sayang? Sepakat ndak?

Berikut ini responnya:

K.H. Abdurrahman Wahid

Tahun 2009 penuh dengan kejutan-kejutan yang menghentakkan alam batin bangsa Indonesia. Tahun yang panas akan perhelatan politik di mulai sejak awal tahun ini juga diwarnai dengan dentuman bom teroris dan rentetan peluru yang menghantam dan meluluhlantakkan jaringan teroris.

Tahun yang juga menyisakan duka mendalam bagi jagad dunia budaya dan sastra dengan meninggalnya WS. Rendra sang Raja Penyair. Belum cukup Indonesia kehilangan penyair terbaiknya, Indonesia di penghujung 2009 kehilangan tokoh besar bangsanya, K.H. Abdurrahman Wahid. Sebuah kehilangan besar dan amat mendalam bagi sebagian besar pengikutnya, baik pengikut rasional maupun yang irrasional.

Beliau tokoh yang kiprahnya mendunia ini merupakan sosok kontroversial yang menyisakan tanya besar di berbagai kalangan. ‘Sang Pendobrak‘ adalah nama kecilnya yang juga sekaligus gelar yang disematkan kepada beliau dari mereka yang kenal betul kiprahnya. Bahkan lawan-lawan politiknya sendiri mengakui ketajaman pemikiran Gus Dur yang memandang Indonesia jauh lebih ke depan.

Ranah hukum pun diwarnai praktik-praktik nista yang terbongkar dari terungkapnya skandal bank century melalui rekaman perkacakapan pengusaha korup dengan praktisi hukum yang korup (saya enggan menyebutkan namanya karena saking muaknya). Juga dengan tercabiknya rasa keadilan dengan kasus prita berhadapan dengan RS. Omni Tangerang. Syukurlah di penghujung tahun Prita mendapatkan kebebasannya setelah kasus pidananya divonis bebas dan sebelumnya koin keadilan telah menjadikan kasus perdatanya ditutup.

Selamat tinggal Rendra, selamat tinggal Gus Dur dan Selamat Tinggal 2009.

Mario Teguh

Melihat tayangan Mario Teguh Golden Ways di Stasiun TV favorit, Metro TV, kebetulan malam itu ada kalimat yang menarik dari seorang penanya, “Pak Mario, bagaimana caranya orang biasa bisa menjadi pemimpin luar biasa?”

Jawaban yang meluncur dari Mario Teguh juga luar biasa, “Sangat sederhana, masih terkait dengan kalimat pertanyaannya. Untuk menjadi pemimpin luar biasa yang berangkat dari orang biasa rumusnya adalah lakukan atau kerjakan sesuatu yang biasa dengan cara atau jalan yang tidak biasa alias luar biasa, maka Anda sudah menjadi pribadi luar biasa”.

Hmmmm… gue banget *dalam hati menggumam*