Category: love

  • Things I (and You) Need to Stop Doing Right Now

    Stop crying over the past. Who you are today isn’t defined by your past mistakes. It’s okay to look back, but only to reflect so that you won’t do the same mistake. Don’t live in the past.

    Stop putting things off today. Do what you can do today, but don’t push yourself.

    Stop worrying too much about the future. Your future depends on what you do in the present. Remember: you build your own future. You choose your own path that will lead you to a certain point in the future. Plan it carefully.

    Stop hating yourself. Stop blaming yourself.

    And most of all, stop comparing yourself to someone else. You are precious.

  • Before Our Vow


    Dear Afief,
    It feels so weird. In less than 24 hours, I’m going to start a new life with someone I’ve just known for 3 years. I had this realisation a few days ago, and it made me cry myself to sleep, resulting in a pair of puffy eyes in the morning. But isn’t it weird, though?

    I met you in the middle of 2011 and now at the end of 2014, I’m marrying you. I’m devoting myself to you. After what felt like one hell of a year, and another year which turned out to be great for the both of us, we’re getting married. Eventually. This is a big leap. A lot of people were surprised when I told them that we were engaged; they were more surprised to know that we’d only be engaged for 4 months before officially tying the knot. I, too, feel like I’m still too young to get married every now and then. But I guess it is what it should be. All the things have led us here in this path. Now, I’m ready.

    But the fact remains: we’re still very young. I’m still stubborn. I really hope we can make it through our first year, second year, and all the years to come.

    So darling, let’s do this.

  • Our Engagement Story

    The first time we talked about getting married was one year ago. It was in the evening, in the middle of the road in Kopo. We were heading home from a friend’s house. I don’t remember what we were talking about before that topic came up. He told me he wanted to marry me in 2014. I told my mum what he told me, much to her surprise. She said that we were too young. I didn’t talk about that topic again.

    Fast forward. It was July 2014. We were both in Lampung, just in different cities. We were texting and I jokingly asked “So, when are you going to propose?” I wasn’t expecting a direct answer, but he replied with “After Eid.” He then told me that he was going to propose in late August. I didn’t have the guts to tell my parents. I forced myself to tell my mum, in hopes that she would tell my dad. Well, she didn’t. In our culture, when a man wants to marry a woman, he has to ask her father’s approval. I told A that I was too scared to tell my dad. A decided to tell him himself. So that was exactly what A did.

    He came to my house right after he arrived in Bandung after the Eid. He told my parents that he was going to bring his parents to my house to propose to me. My dad, being the kindest man that he is, gave us his blessings and gladly invited A’s family to come. Three weeks later, A came to my house again. This time, he brought along his father and uncle.

    It was not a big ceremony. There was just a talk between the two families, and then he asked me the big question. I said yes. He put the ring on my finger. After that, we were given a lot of advices about married life and marriage in general. Then we have lunch together and it’s a wrap.

    There wasn’t any surprises. No fancy restaurant. No maracas band hiding in the bush. No lake picnic. Not even getting on one knee and holding out the ring while asking “Would you marry me?”. No such things. It was just a simple, traditional engagement party (can we call it a “party”? Technically?) but the whole thing was so precious. I still remember the anxiety, the excitement when I was waiting for A and his family to arrive. I can’t believe that it happened more than 3 weeks ago because I still remember it like it was just yesterday!


  • Oh, August.




    What a month, August! I started working as a real teacher, graduated from uni, and got engaged; all in the span of one month. It was an August to remember. The August where I officially became a grown up woman. Thanks, August. I love you. See you next year 😉

    Trivia: Yes. I typed ‘August’ six times in this post.

  • An (Exciting!) Announcement

    Hi, just stopping by to announce that A and I are engaged!
    More details will be shared soon.