Ramadan Kareem

I’d like to wish all muslims in the world, happy fasting ( صومًا مقبولاً) in this holy month of Ramadan 1432 H. May Allah reward all your good deeds and bless you.

Tujuh Langkah Kesabaran

Versi audio:

Sebuah rumah gubuk kecil berdiri anggun di tanah pegunungan yang indah dan hijau. Di gubuk yang terpencil itu, tinggallah seorang kakek tua yang sangat terkenal karena kebijaksanaannya. Banyak orang dari berbagai tempat datang kepadanya untuk meminta nasehat si kakek tua itu. Suatu hari, datanglah seorang pria yang telah tiga hari lamanya menempuh perjalanan dengan berjalan kaki. Sesampai di hadapan si kakek tua, pria itu memohon nasehat tentang bagaimana cara mengendalikan emosi yang tidak terkendali.

Setelah sejenak memandang pria tersebut, sang kakek tua nan bijak itu pun berkata, ”Anak muda, setiap kali engkau tersinggung atau terpancing untuk marah-marah, ingatlah Tujuh langkah kesabaran. Untuk itu, lakukanlah melangkah mundur tujuh langkah, lalu maju tujuh langkah, dan lakukan hal tersebut tujuh kali kali berturut-turut. Lakukan dengan langkah mantap sambil berhitung. Setelah itu, barulah engkau ambil keputusan bertindak.”

Merasa mendapatkan nasihat bijak, pria itu pulang kembali ke desanya. Ia yakin sekali masalah emosi yang dideritanya pasti bisa terpecahkan. Tiga hari perjalanan kembali harus dia tempuh. Hari telah larut ketika ia sampai di rumah. Dengan pakaian yang lusuh, badan letih dan pegal-pegal, serta perut sangat lapar, ia masuk ke dalam kamar istrinya. Di kepalanya, ia hendak meminta istrinya supaya menyediakan makan malam dan air hangat untuk mandi. Tetapi seperti disambar geledek, pria itu mendapati istrinya sedang tertidur lelap di balik selimut dengan orang lain.

Demi melihat pemandangan menjijikkan itu, langsung amarahnya meluap tak tertahankan lagi. ”Kurang ajar! Baru ditinggal sebentar saja sudah berani menyeleweng…!” Tanpa berpikir panjang, pria itu mencabut belati dan hendak menghabisi keduanya. Tetapi, seketika itu juga dirinya teringat dengan nasehat si kakek tua yang bijak. Sambil tetap mengangkat tangan menghunus belati, pria itu mulai menjalankan nasihat si kakek. Ia melangkah sambil menghitung, mundur tujuh langkah, maju tujuh langkah. Kembali lagi, sampai akhirnya suara hitungan dan hentakan kakinya membangunkan sang istri.

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SLAMPP Showcase

It always feels good when someone comes to you and says that he actually finds your work useful and likes it. It’s not because you ask them for the appreciation but it’s more like that you realize that what you do has contributed something valuable to others. That is what I am going to share with you right now, a SLAMPP showcase written by a SLAMPP user. Of course through this entry I would encourage other users to share their own stories on what they have done with SLAMPP and what they think about it. I will publish your stories here.

This showcase was actually written and submitted to me last year by Brian Papile from Texas. Although he already gave me the permission, unfortunately, I was not able to publish it in a timely manner. My apologies for that. FYI, Brian used SLAMPP as training material for his web application security class. I was absolutely amazed that he could master and customize SLAMPP within a short period of time and then finally shared the work to his class. Well done!

Please read his full story by downloading this PDF file. I hope it could inspire other users to do the same.

As last note, if you are interested to get a copy of his work, please contact me.

Thanks all for your contribution to SLAMPP. Much appreciated.

Now, I will focus on the next release which has been delayed for a while. :)

Note: This is a reposted article. You can read the original entry over here.

Feeling Content

“…

We’re endlessly looking at how others do things, for inspiration and ideas … but we end up wanting to try those things too. That sounds harmless until you realize that you’ll buy almost anything because someone wrote about it and made it sound amazing. You’ll live a life of an endless series of purchases because of what other people are doing. And it never ends.

Even if you don’t buy stuff, you’ll change your life endlessly, based on what others are doing. You’ll give up your couch, you’ll stop buying Ikea furniture, then give up your cell phone, then give up your computer, then start doing yoga, then become a Zen monk, then create a tech startup. Those things are amazing, sure … but when does it ever end?

When do we ever feel content with the life we’re living?

If you look to the lives of others,
you’ll always find yourself lacking.

Look instead at what you have,
and be grateful.

Reduce your needs,
and be content.

And your life of striving
for perfection, for the future,
will become a life of balance,
of the moment, of inner peace.

…”

~Leo Babauta, “The Comparison Trap”