Motivation, self-encouragement, and drive can truly come from anywhere. One day, during heavy rain, I had to get out of bed begrudgingly. While I was enjoying lying down, the downpour accompanied by strong winds forced me to get moving. I had an appointment to take care of my passport, and I had already scheduled it in advance. Canceling it would mean a long wait for another appointment, and with this rainy season, there was no guarantee of better weather.
I had no choice but to go. Okay, I left the house at just before 8 AM, even though I had planned to leave by 7 (blame the laziness induced by a rainy morning). By the time I got to the train station, it was already 8 AM (obviously, considering I left just before 8). My appointment was at 9 AM. Confused, I stuck to my initial plan to take the train and then a ride-hailing bike to save money, hehehe. But, plans don’t always align with reality.
Running late, I had no option, to book a bike directly from the train station.
“Why does it have to rain? Rain again, and it’s pouring!” I grumbled. Alright, moving on. When I arrived at the station, I saw many guys wearing ride-hailing jackets. Initially, I thought about ordering a Go Instant, so I approached one of the drivers at the station. But they all declined, telling me to use Go Instant at a nearby red shop.
“Seriously? I thought those wearing ride-hailing jackets could just take passengers. But instead, they turn down opportunities to make money! They must be local bike-taxi drivers in disguise, even though they’re wearing ride-hailing jackets. Why not just offer me a ride instead of making me use the app?” I chuckled to myself.
So, I went to book Go Ride Instant, and the price was quite high around 50 thousand rupiah. I saw four other people in line too, and the wait was longer than expected. Time was running out, it was already 8:20 AM, and my appointment was at 9. I worried whether I’d make it for my first-ever passport application. Finally, I got a driver, an older man.
Even though the rain had subsided a bit, it was still drizzling. The man didn’t offer me a raincoff, perhaps because I had an umbrella in hand. Still, his motorbike was quite large and comfortable to sit on, so that was a plus. I got on the back, and we set off.
During the ride, the man suddenly started talking. I was in a bad mood from being slightly wet and just wanted to get there quickly, but I responded to him politely. Out of nowhere, he asked, “Sir, would you like to play a guessing game? If you don’t want to, it’s okay. No pressure.”
Curious, I agreed. “Sure, sir. What’s the question?”
“Well, I have a riddle for you. Do you know about DUIT? Everyone needs DUIT, right? But do you know what DUIT stands for? What does it mean, sir?”
I replied, “Money.”
“No, sir, that’s wrong. Money has a deeper meaning. For instance, D stands for Doa (prayer). Now, what does U stand for?”
I tried to answer, “Usaha?” (Effort)
“Correct!” He continued, “Now, what about I?”
I was silent for a while, and perhaps sensing my bad mood, the man apologized, saying, “It’s okay if you don’t want to continue. I’m just trying to make you think because thinking helps sharpen the mind and keeps it from becoming lazy.”
I told him I was still thinking, then said, “Iman (Faith) ? Inspiration?”
He replied, “No, sir. I stands for Ikhtiar (endeavor). So, after prayer and effort, there must be endeavor. Now, what about T?”
“Tenang(Peace) , sir?”
“No, sir, it’s Tawakal (trust in God),” he said.
“Now that we have money, what else do we need?”
“What else, sir?”
“Sejuta (a million), sir. Do you know what it stands for?”
“No, sir,” I said, shaking my head.
“Sejuta stands for Setia (loyalty), Jujur (honesty), and Takwa (piety),” he explained while laughing and elaborating on the concept of ‘A Million.’
As time passed, I realized the man was approachable and might offer good advice, so I shared my frustrations with him. “Sir, I feel like the world is unfair. I feel wronged,” I began, then told him about the disparity between the rich growing richer and the poor becoming poorer.
He listened attentively and sympathetically before saying, “You should pray, sir. Pray this, and I guarantee it’s powerful, a prayer for those who have been wronged.”
“Allahumma inni a’udzu bika min dzulmi wa dzulma ibadika, Hasbiyallahu laa ilaaha illa huwa, ‘alaihi tawakkaltu wa huwa rabbul ‘arsyil ‘azhiim.”
Translation: ‘O Allah, I seek refuge in You from oppression and from oppressing others. Sufficient for me is Allah; there is no deity except Him. Upon Him, I rely, and He is the Lord of the Great Throne.’
He then offered words of encouragement as the journey neared its end. He concluded with Surah Ar-Rahman, saying, “Fabiayyi ala irabbikuma tukazziban,” which means, “So, which of the favors of your Lord will you deny?”
He explained that blessings aren’t always in the form of money. Sometimes, they come in ways you cannot see. “Why not be grateful? Your blessings are abundant. Just being able to sit on this ride is a blessing. Waking up in the morning, going to work, and praying on time are all blessings from Allah SWT,” he said.
When we arrived at the immigration office, the man said, “Don’t get tired of being grateful, sir. InshaAllah, something better will come your way.”
Tears welled up in my eyes. I remembered the moments when I felt injustice, but Allah’s justice surpasses all. His words gave me strength. Perhaps, if it hadn’t rained heavily, I wouldn’t have taken that ride. Qadarullah, Allah SWT strengthened me through this man. It was an inspiring story that taught me the meaning of gratitude. Amidst the metropolitan rain, I realized Allah’s help is always near.
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