KELUARGA KAMI PUNYA kebiasaan menyisihkan waktu untuk keluarga dengan berkumpul santai dan membahas banyak hal sambil makan camilan. Kedua anak saya adalah anak-anak yang lumayan kritis dan sering kali bertanya tentang berbagai topik, mulai dari otomotif, games, musik, lingkungan, kesehatan, sekolah, sains hingga berita teraktual, termasuk Berita Indonesia. 

Momen paling asyik, meskipun singkat, adalah di pagi hari selepas shalat Subuh. Sambil menanti matahari terbit, kami bercengkerama di ruang tamu, kadang sambil bersandar pada rak buku. Duduk bersila sambil mengudap camilan pun mendukung proses ngudarasa. Ya, begitulah orang Jawa menyebutnya, yakni mengungkapkan pikiran atau unek-unek seputar apa saja untuk dikomentari secara leluasa.

 

Nah, untuk mengimbangi rasa penasaran duo bocah yang beranjak remaja, sebagai orangtua kami merasa wajib terus belajar dan mencari informasi, salah satunya dengan mengakses berita. Harapannya, kami dapat menjadi teman diskusi yang baik dan mampu menjawab setiap pertanyaan mereka dengan data valid dan sumber tepercaya. 

Tentu saja kami memilah dan memilih sumber informasi yang benar dan bertanggung jawab. Hal ini bisa dibilang susah-susah gampang karena media massa atau portal berita, termasuk yang bersifat online makin marak dan bertebaran hingga membutuhkan sikap selektif sebelum diambil sebagai rujukan apalagi langganan Baca Berita.

Aplikasi baca berita yang mudah dan nyaman diakses 

Manusia modern adalah makhluk yang membutuhkan segala sesuatu secara cepat, termasuk dalam mencari informasi atau Berita. Apalagi sebagai ibu rumah tangga, penulis, dan editor buku yang tentu membutuhkan akses informasi Berita Terlengkap dan Berita Terbaru yang benar-benar valid dan bisa dipertanggungjawabkan sumbernya. 

Mengapa saya membutuhkan validitas dan sumber berita yang dapat dipertanggungjawabkan? Hal tersebut tidak terlepas bahwa pekerjaan saya memang memiliki konten yang harus bersifat edukatif dan informatif. Sebagian besar tulisan saya berada di seputar dunia pendidikan, parenting, buku, dan gaya hidup. Oleh karena itulah, saya sangat membutuhkan akses berita yang kualitasnya “sahih” dan “berisi”.

Sering kali ketika saya membutuhkan sebuah sumber data saat melakukan riset untuk suatu tulisan, saya mencari ke beberapa situs berita, termasuk dengan hal-hal yang terkait Berita Hari Ini. Hal ini saya rasakan melelahkan karena saya harus membuka dan menutup situs tersebut berulang kali. 

Baca berita terlengkap di IDN App mudah dan nyaman

Akan tetapi, beberapa waktu terakhir ini saya menemuan sebuah portal atau Aplikasi Baca Berita yang telah terintegrasi sedemikian rupa serta tersedia dalam bentuk aplikasi (app) sehingga mudah diakses dan digunakan ketika saya hanya ditemani smartphone android. Hal ini tentu saja memudahkan bagi saya yang membutuhkan kecepatan dan efisiensi. Maklumlah, ibu rumah tangga memang sangat membutuhkan efektivitas dan efisiensi yang tinggi agar tidak cepat merasa exhausted.

Ketika saya mencoba dan mengakses https://www.idn.app/ tersebut, saya menemukan berbagai fitur yang sangat membantu juga menghibur, seperti Berita, IDN Live, Hiburan, E-Sport, Food, News, Sport, Fashion, Otomotif, Beauty, Tech, dan Life, bahkan ada pula fitur Tag Terpopuler. Fitur-fitur tersebut membuat saya sanggup berseluncur di dalam lautan berita tanpa pernah kehilangan antusiasme. 

Bahkan IDN App ini juga memiliki Aplikasi Live Streaming yang sangat informatif dan edukatif. Saya sempat mengikuti Website Live Streaming Indonesia Memasak presented by Yummy. Tidak sulit untuk mengikuti IDN App ini karena kita hanya cukup mengunduh (install) aplikasi IDN App dari playstore dan kita akan dapat berselancar berita dan beragam informasi dengan nyaman. Anda juga bisa mencantumkan informasi mengenai referral program dan mengajak audiens utk join dgn kode referral peserta (bisa ditemukan di My Account).

ISTILAH KESEHATAN MENTAL kini menjadi idiom yang kian populer di tengah masyarakat modern. Berbagai masalah hidup dan kesulitan ekonomi telah mendorong munculnya isu kewarasan yang mesti ditangani. Krisis ekonomi global kian memperparah kondisi di berbagai wilayah, tak terkecuali Indonesia.

Harga-harga barang dan jasa naik, apalagi pascalebaran Idulfitri. Harga BBM memang belum ada kenaikan, tapi biaya hidup otomatis mengalami peningkatan, terutama harga sembako di pasar dan makanan siap santap di gerai makanan.

Hidup bagai bianglala, naik turun bergantian. Percaya saja sama Tuhan.

Salah satu filosofi orang Jawa dalam mempertahankan kesehatan mental adalah nrimo ing pandum yang secara harfiah bermakna menerima pemberian Tuhan. Nilai ini bukan mengajarkan seseorang untuk cenderung pasif dan bahkan fatalis, tetapi mengolah keterampilan untuk mendapatkan karunia Tuhan tanpa khawatir dengan hasilnya.

Tak ada kecemasan atau ketakutan bahwa hasil akan mengkhianati usaha. Tugas manusia hanya berikhtiar dan menerima ketetapan Tuhan. Mereka sepenuhnya yakin bahwa hal terbaiklah yang diberikan Tuhan selama kita sudah mengerahkan upaya optimal. Intinya, selalu berbaik sangka kepada Tuhan. 

Ajaran kedua adalah urip kudu urup, yang bermakna hidup haruslah berpijar. Artinya, hidup harus dijalani dengan penuh semangat berkobar, termasuk membantu orang lain yang membutuhkan. Apalagi di tengah momen berat seperti saat ini. Urip kudu urup mengajarkan kepedulian dan kolaborasi.

Dengan cara itu, orang Jawa saling terkoneksi dalam hubungan yang sehat untuk mengerjakan hal-hal produktif sehingga pikiran terus hidup dalam kewarasan. Optimisme dalam nrimo ing pandum dan kasih sayang dalam urip kudu urup menjadi energi positif yang menggerakkan masyarakat. 

  

KENDATI ZAMAN sudah maju, dengan perkembangan teknologi informasi yang kian pesat, kehidupan masyarakat modern tak ayal semakin dimudahkan. Aktivitas finansial pun memanfaatkan peranti digital yang memang membuat semuanya serbapraktis. 

Di tengah godaan untuk melakukan transaksi online yang mudah dan antiribet, kebiasaan menabung semakin menemukan relevansi untuk dipertahankan. Lebih-lebih tawaran pinjaman online yang menggempur lewat berbagai aplikasi tanpa agunan dan syarat yang rumit.

Manfaat menabung di bank

Setidaknya ada enam manfaat menabung di bank yang bisa kita rasakan, termasuk bagi anak-anak yang sedang belajar mengelola keuangan. Menabung di bank menawarkan banyak keuntungan sebagai berikut.

1. Belajar hemat

Menabung di bank berarti berlatih menahan keinginan, yang secara tak langsung melatih kesabaran agar tidak segera membelanjakan uang yang dimiliki. 

Dengan demikian, dana bisa disimpan hingga terakumulasi untuk dipergunakan sebagai pemenuhan kebutuhan mendatang.

2. Dana darurat

Manfaat kedua menabung di bank adalah memiliki dana cadangan saat kita memiliki kebutuhan mendadak misalnya dana kesehatan dan perbaikan kendaraan. Belum lagi kalau terjadi PHK yang menyebabkan hilangnya pendapatan.

Kita tahu tantangan ekonomi kian tidak menentu sehingga menabung di bank dapat menjadi jaring pengamanan finansial untuk menciptakan ketenangannya batin dan kedamaian pikiran.

3. Tercapainya target finansial 

Menyimpan uang di bank dapat menjadi sarana mencapai target finansial berupa apa pun. Misalnya merintis sebuah bisnis, membeli kendaraan, melaksanakan perjalanan ibadah, atau liburan bersama keluarga. 

Kita tinggal memilih jenis tabungan, baik tabungan konvensional maupun Tabungan Syariah. Tabungan yang kita buka di bank bisa menyokong berbagai kebutuhan sembari menanti uang terkumpul dalam jumlah yang signifikan.

4. Iming-iming bunga

Bunga atas dana yang kita simpan di bank bisa membantu tabungan menumpuk atau terakumulasi seiring waktu berjalan. Konon bunga yang kita dapatkan dari tabungan online ini dapat menangkal inflasi dan uang tetap bisa menjangkau daya beli yang konsisten.

5. Kenyamanan dan keamanan

Sebagai institusi keuangan yang mapan, bank memberikan jaminan berupa kenyamanan dan keamanan. Bank menjadi tempat aman untuk menyimpan uang kita. 

Di Indonesia sudah ada LPS alias Lembaga Penjamin Simpanan yang menjamin simpanan nasabah hingga 2 miliar per tabungan, termasuk Tabungan Online. Didukung layanan online dan offline yang kian mumpuni, menabung di bank adalah solusi tepat agar uang terus berlipat.

6. Optimisme

Selain membangun kedisiplinan, menabung di bank juga mengajarkan nilai-nilai optimisme yakni tercapainya keinginan sesuai target berdasarkan kemampuan. Menyetorkan uang secara rutin baik dalam bentuk Tabungan Syariah maupun offline adalah tindakan yang memompa spirit optimistis bahwa apa pun bisa diraih dengan jalan menabung.

Alasan nabung untung di M-Syariah

Dengan berbagai manfaat yang menguntungkan, menabung di bank memang solusi untuk menyiapkan masa depan. Menyimpan uang di rumah bisa tetap dipertahankan, tapi hanya bersifat sementara hingga uang terkumpul cukup untuk kemudian disetorkan ke petugas di bank.

Nah, sekarang proses itu juga bisa di-bypass berkat kecanggihan teknologi informasi. Dunia digital yang semakin maju memungkinkan kita menyetorkan uang untuk ditabung kapan pun dalam jumlah berapa pun. Uniknya, penyetoran itu tak mengharuskan kita hadir di bank sehingga bisa menghemat waktu dan tenaga--juga biaya.

Tanpa perlu berpanas ria, repot mencari parkiran, dan menghabiskan waktu di jalan, kita tetap bisa menyimpan uang dengan aman sebagai cadangan masa depan. Ada stok dana berapa pun bisa langsung diletakkan dalam rekening bank. Caranya dengan memanfaatkan aplikasi M-Syariah, yakni rekening bank yang bisa kita buka dengan mudah sambil rebahan di rumah. Aplikasi inovatif persembahan Bank Mega Syariah ini sangat solutif sebagai pendukung hidup masa kini yang cepat tapi tetap produktif.

1 | Mudah

Pertimbangan utama menggunakan aplikasi M-Syariah untuk menabung adalah kemudahan untuk membuka rekening. Cukup mengunduh dari Play Store atau App Store lalu menginstalnya hingga tuntas.

Kemudahan buka rekening di aplikasi M-Syariah

Selanjutnya, isi formulir online yang tersedia. Cepat dan hemat waktu karena kita tak perlu keluar rumah cuma untuk membuka rekening baru. Gercep langsung jadi enggak sampai satu jam loh. Rekening digital langsung siap tanpa harus video call yang merepotkan.

2 | Praktis

Punya rekening di M-Syariah juga menyenangkan karena praktis. Untuk melakukan berbagai transaksi, kita cukup mengandalkan satu aplikasi. Tak perlu menginstal aplikasi lainnya sehingga memori smartphone bisa dihemat.

Di mana pun dan kapan pun kita bisa menuntaskan kebutuhan finansial tanpa mengkhawatirkan ruang, jarak, dan waktu. Mau transfer ke rekening sesama M-Syariah atau rekening bank lain, juga donasi atau zakat, cukup dilayani satu aplikasi digital ini. Asal ada koneksi internet, beres!

3 | Bebas biaya admin bulanan

Hari gini pengeluaran sekecil apa pun sangat signifikan karena cari cuan rasanya makin penuh tantangan. Potongan biaya admin bulanan bisa memberatkan jika diakumulasikan hingga setahun. Padahal biaya itu bisa dipakai untuk membeli paket data atau donasi sosial.

Inilah asyiknya Tabungan Syariah di M-Syariah, gratis biaya administrasi bulanan adalah kebijakan tepat untuk mendorong agar tabungan betul-betul efektif sebagai pilihan umat Islam yang ingin maju dengan menyimpan uang secara aman.

4 | Aman

Keamanan memang isu penting dalam penyimpanan uang. Jangan sampai kita menitipkan uang dalam bentuk tabungan di bank yang tidak amanah. Akun rekening kita di M-syariah dipastikan aman dengan proteksi password, PIN, dan kode OTP. 

Sebagai extra security, masih tersedia keamanan biometrik menggunakan sidik jari (fingerprint) dan deteksi wajah (face ID). Dana dan transaksi kian aman dan nyaman tanpa bikin waswas sehingga waktu kita bisa digunakan untuk hal-hal produktif lainnya. Pokoknya menguntungkan!

5 | Fitur lengkap

Fitur M-Syariah terbilang lengkap untuk memanjakan nasabah Bank Mega Syariah. Baik pembelian maupun pembayaran secara online bisa dirampungkan di aplikasi digital ini. Selain transfer antarrekening dan pengisian saldo e-wallet, ada fitur Berkah Islami yang memasok informasi seputar masjid terdekat, arah kiblat, dam berita dan artikel Islami lainnya sehingga bisa menjadi wadah mencari ilmu.

6 | Transaksi multifugsi 

Keunggulan lain aplikasi M-Syariah adalah tersedianya fitur amal atau donasi sosial selain transaksi perbankan. Dukungan transaksi multifungsi ini memungkinkan kita memberikan amal seperti zakat, infaq, sedekah, wakaf, hingga donasi.

Tinggal pilih sesuai preferensi pribadi

Mau bayar zakat? Banyak pilihan LAZ (Lembaga Amil Zakat) yang tepercaya sehingga kita tak perlu cemas atau terlupa membayarnya hanya karena tak sempat mengunjungi kantor LAZ. Langsung saja bayar di aplikasi M-Syariah.

Kesimpulan

Menutup tulisan ini, perlu saya ingatkan bahwa fitur-fitur utama M-Syariah bisa kita andalkan dalam berbagai transaksi finansial, baik yang bersifat pembelian maupun donasi dalam konteks amal.

1. Buka rekening Tabungan Syariah secara online, bisa sambil rebahan tanpa harus datang ke kantor cabang atau melakukan video calling.
2. Cukup lengkapi data, foto KTP, dan foto selfie di aplikasi M-Syariah untuk membuka rekening, gampang kan?
3. Kartu ATM akan diantar langsung ke alamat sesuai yang kita cantumkan saat pendaftaran.
4. Pemindahbukuan atau transfer antarbank tentu saja dilakukan secara online, jadi satset antiribet--cocok untuk belanja atau bayar macam-macam.
5. Mau transfer ke rekening bank lain dengan biaya admin yang lebih murah, pilih saja layanan BI Fast yang disediakan pada aplikasi.
6. Mau beli barang atau bayar tagihan cukup di satu aplikasi ini.
7. Isi saldo e-wallet (GoPay, OVO, dan DANA) semudah senyum, langsung lewat aplikasi M-Syariah.
8. Bayar Zakat, Infaq, Sedekah, Wakaf, Donasi, dan bahkan Qurban bisa memanfaatkan fitur Donasi dan Amal tanpa perlu keluar rumah.
9. Fitur Berkah Islami untuk memberikan informasi tentang masjid terdekat, arah kiblat shalat, dan berita atau artikel Islami untuk mendukung ibadah sekaligus menambah pengetahuan kita.

Intinya, punya Tabungan Syariah di aplikasi M-Syariah adalah solusi mantap untuk menyimpan uang dengan aman dan banyak keuntungan. Bukan hanya praktis dan mudah, tapi juga lengkap fiturnya--terutama gratis biaya admin bulanan dan kemampuan transfer ke berbagai bank dengan biaya minimal.

  

So, mau hidup produktif dan berkembang sebagai muslim yang diberkahi? Pilihan bijak adalah membuka rekening di M-Syariah sebagai solusi menyiapkan masa depan yang cerah. Momentum Ramadan dan Idulfitri yang belum lama kita alami bisa kita gunakan untuk hijrah menggunakan aplikasi perbankan yang syar'i dan bikin tenang hati. 

Mulai menata masa depan untuk keluarga cinta, sudah sewajarnya dimulai dengan mengunduh dan menginstal aplikasi M-Syariah.

IT WAS a fine noon. The February sun in Gresik was relatively mild that day instead of scorching heat with plain stickiness. The sky was dim with clouds while producing no rain. It was friendly until midday prayer that my visit to the Sanggraloka Batik Bangsawan in Sungonlegowo had become a permanently pleasant experience.

I had the privilege on Thursday (16/02/2023) to visit the Batik Bangsawan production site, accompanied by Nur Kholis, who prefers to be called a workshop leader rather than the founder or a business owner. The conversation went lively while I was watching the batik artisans carve colors on the selected fabrics.

Batik Bangsawan has accelerated the local economy and helped local traditions preserved.

The unique Gresik Batik

If the Bungah District was previously known as a center for the production of national-scale songkok or religious caps, as well as shrimp paste and otak-otak, now Batik Bangsawan has emerged as a unique, prestigious commodity for tourists to bring as a special souvenir. In addition to economic value, every batik product by Nur Kholis comes with a dynamic, fresh design and adopts local culture to maintain tradition.

"In the past, the Bungah area had many songkok craftsmen, even to the national market. But due to a lack of regeneration, this business is no longer lucrative. While the brand exists, the production is actually sub-produced in other cities, including Lamongan," said Nur Kholis when explaining how he came to run the batik business along with his wife.

Kholis and his wife were into the batik business back in 2011 when they were selling various batik products made in different cities including Pekalongan, Central Java, and Madura, East Java. It was not until 2015 that they shifted into batik production under the umbrella of Batik Bangsawan.

“In a batik exhibition a visitor inquired if I had batik of my own, those made in Gresik where I live. That is when an idea sparked for us to have our own batik brand,” Kholis affirmed. 

Together with his beloved wife, he decided to visit several cities known for their batik to learn about it. He started learning how fabrics are selected, the batik techniques, and how to design them seriously by studying one of them from a Sidoarjo artist, Joko Lelono, who is also the head of Sanggar Bening.

The peacock motif by Batik Bangsawan is very attractive

From lompongan to huge success

Since then, Kholis has managed to produce his batik with persistent learning and perseverance. What’s strikingly unique is that he commenced the business from a narrow cubicle in his parents-in-law's house. Local residents call the passage lompongan. It is a narrow and normally elongated empty space that joins two houses in the Javanese villages. Rows of these houses are often inhabited by residents who are still related.

One of the prominent works created in this lompongan is the Suluk Lontar Surowiti. Nur Kholis points out that Batik Bangsawan produces this style of batik ornamentation with intent, inspired by the very popular Javanese philosophy. As for lontar (Borassus flabellifer), it is a palmyra palm tree on which the leaves may be written. 

Surowiti is the name of a village located on the north coast of Gresik. Situated in the hills, the village has also been a part of the long history of the Land of Java. This is where traces of Brandal Lokajaya can be found. He is the son of a Tuban noble who lived as a delinquent and later built himself up with his students to become a very influential figure. He is none other than Sunan (Susuhunan) Kalijaga who has a special place among Javanese people.

The Suluk Lontar Surowiti accommodates the values of Javanese philosophy.

The Suluk Lontar Surowiti batik pattern captures the paramount teachings and ideas of Sunan Kalijaga about the Javanese way of life (suluk) as reflected in the lontar (siwalan) trees that carry philosophical values. 

Benefit value as a priority

From a lontar tree, we learn about creating benefits. The stalk, fruit, and leaves can all be put to good use. The fruit is normally consumed to relieve indigestion problems. The midribs and the leaves are also used, one of which by residents of Rote Island, as traditional roofing materials. Back in the past people used the lontar leaves to contain texts and images to convey messages.

Nur Kholis maintains that making benefits has been a primary value of his business. He aims at contributing positively to society the way siwalan trees provide benefits wherever they are destined to live. This very value is what he is trying to carry through by inviting local youths to become batik artisans in his studio instead of working as laborers in the factories nearby.

“We currently have 5 artisans here in the workshop,” he said in a separate interview. “In addition, there are two printed batik craftsmen and four tailors.” Apart from handmade batik, Batik Bangsawan also produces printed batik to meet the demand of the lower middle market.

The Suluk Lontar Surowiti captures the tremendous lyrics of the famous LIR-ILIR in Hanacaraka.

In order to reduce operational costs, he is not stockpiling batik products since the order has been dominated by customized batik on the basis of customers' requests, including color, design, and motif. 

To support his fellow batik businessmen, Kholis runs a store at the Bungah Market that offers ready-to-wear batik products such as robes for moslem women and or negligees. This way he is not only making profits to support his batik production but also opens up market opportunities for fashion batik producers, one of which is from Pekalongan, Central Java.

Success equals empowerment

While reluctantly mentioning monthly sales figures, Kholis can't deny that Batik Bangsawan is now coming into the spotlight as a widely-known craft business. He currently has an automobile as a business fleet and is constantly taking orders from the corporate market that agree to purchase a piece of batik from IDR 500K to 2 million.

“When we won the first place in the East Java competition lately, kami carried the concept of community development in which the human resources are all from our own village. What matters more is that we adopt local wisdom as the theme of the batik,” said Nur Kholis confirming Batik Bangsawan's victory.

He further claimed that this step is a manifestation of the government's program, namely One Village One Product (OVOP), which the East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa adapts to become OPOP (One Pesantren One Product).

He is convinced that the OVOP concept works only if SMEs adopt the concept of community development. In the context of Batik Bangsawan, Nur Kholis assures that batik artisans, shopkeepers, photographers, tailors, and photo models are all from one village where the business is located.

Despite the challenge, he would certainly not give up hope. Resembling a siwalan tree that stands tall and lives extremely long while producing fruit regardless of season, he strongly intends that Batik Bangsawan will take youths of Gresik to preserve traditions through the studio and workshop he is running. In this regard, the younger generation won't be tempted to work in the factories nearby due to fresh money to make. Instead, they are encouraged to help with the preservation of local cultural treasures to prevent them from extinction.

The book Kholis is planning to publish in the near future that captures Batik Bangsawan's luxurious batik designs

What he aspires is that the Sanggraloka he is currently running will be able to provide a batik training center as well as own a publishing line. He is currently preparing to publish a book containing 50 designs and motifs typical of Batik Bangsawan with captivating charms that have the potential to bewitch readers as well as batik connoisseurs throughout the archipelago. In this way, Nur Kholis is expecting to boost the local economy while trying to preserve the uniqueness of local culture.

With an initial loan from a government bank, he has been determined to project sustainable balanced growth with independent resources. Batik Bangsawan is expected to grow as a profitable business. It's a balance because profit is the goal, but making a positive contribution to society is in the form of empowerment. Sustainability indicates endless passion to explore traditional values as well as a local heritage to appear in every pattern and design of Batik Bangsawan batik.

From Batik Bangsawan we can draw a very interesting lesson. Boosting the economic level of residents in the rural areas does not always require large capital or flashy ideas. Working on a batik business that is close to us also has proven to be financially potential. In fact, running a business in the village actually allows the adoption of this local wisdom as well as accommodating local workers without having to urbanize.

The path to success may be something other than an odyssey of happiness. It is always a journey that takes one to persevere through trials and life tribulations. What we perceive as one's success today is an accumulation of years of hard work and creative effort on the basis of resilience and unshaken belief.

 

This is the case of Mr. Khoirul Anam who has gained success both professionally and financially. He is termed a "paragon of leadership" in a currently released book as his experience in teaching and school management has been an amazing example of how one is struggling to step up the ladder which makes him one of the most distinguished school principals nationwide.  

Khoirul Anam (dressed in khaki with a black cap) during the launch of Everyday is Winning Experience

Kober, bener, pinter

The newly released Everyday is Winning Exeperience recounts Anam's uphill battle to score success against all odds. It documents his 34 years' experience as an educator which he clearly enjoys. As revealed in the book, he was born in a family where a pedagogic spirit is well nurtured making him a natural leader. His father is a modin (religious leader) in the village and his mother is a genuine Quran tutor.    

"I have never expected to go this far. But yes, I have always enjoyed teaching all my life while keeping three important messages in my mind that my mother always maintained. Kober, bener, and pinter--those are what I have always believed she instilled back then," Anam spoke briefly during the book review discussion on February 22, 2023 in Grand Mahkota Hotel, Lamongan.

      

The three words are Javanese that underlie his journey from as early moment as he could remember. "By kober she means the willingness to do what it takes to succeed. So one has to develop keenness to complete something to be successful," Anam further elaborated. It gets even more valid when one is a school principal who is required to devote time and energy to school management.       

Bener comes next which refers to the conformity of his life and conduct to high moral standards and ethical principles as outlined by his beliefs in cultural values and especially in religion. Being bener assumes the ability to choose the correct words and actions that he is against "the end justifies the means" misguided theory. 

He believes that how to achieve is as important as what to achieve. In this sense, to be bener would mean zero tolerance for illegal ways no matter how noble the intention is. In bener is also contained the call for providing examples for his subordinates to look up to. 

Khoirul Anam when delivering a welcome speech

 

When one is both kober and bener, he/she is likely to thrive on with the following trait: pinter (smart). Oftentimes decision has to be made immediately so that smart judgment is inevitable. Pinter doesn't necessarily equal the extraordinary intelligence that we find in genius people like Albert Eintsein. 

The word also suggests a creative mind, subtle imagination, clear vision, innovative strategy, responsiveness, quick adaptability as well as the ability to identify opportunities and put them to good use accordingly. Anam's personal and professional competence encompasses all of these areas.   

The pinnacle of career

These three qualities have been the main determinant of Anam's success as seen in several schools he was assigned to lead, including the coastal SMPN 1 Brondong, the previously underperforming SMPN 1 Kalitengah, and the famous SMPN 1 Lamongan that becomes his big win.   

   

While taking SMPN 1 Lamongan to be among the best schools across Indonesia may be the pinnacle of his career, it is obvious that Anam would never stop his pedagogical journey. Turhan Yani, the director of Unesa's Center for Research and Community Services (LPPM), confirmed, "He may administratively retire, but I'm convinced his natural proclivity for teaching will never expire."       

"He may administratively retire, but I'm convinced his natural proclivity for teaching will never expire."

This highlights Anam's immediate plan for developing an educational foundation in the village he grew up. With a friend, he is expected to contribute his time and expertise to bring the local schools into the spotlight. As clearly stated in the book, it is imperative that the current human resources in the foundation be upgraded and the curriculum be improved.

Prof. Dr. Turhan Yani (dressed in batik with a microphone) when reviewing the book)

In light of Anam's prolific achievements when leading some schools despite obstacles and meager resources, Yani even suggested that local universities devise a new subject named Inspirasi Pendidikan Indonesia (Indonesia's Educational Inspiration) so that students have ample opportunity to learn from the best practices described in this book.

Tatag, teteg, tutug

In his keynote speech, Yuhronur Efendi the regent of Lamongan pointed out that Khoirul Anam is indeed a man of value and of success whom everyone should identify as a role model. In addition to wisdom, Anam is considered to have demonstrated the Javanese philosophy of tatag, teteg, tutug. 

"I have known him personally that he is tatag as we understand it in Javanese," Efendi asserted.       

Khoirul Anam is said to be tatag as he is proven to welcome challenges and has the audacity to carry out the mandate of any leadership level he's assigned with unflinching confidence. His unfaltering energy and determination (teteg) has clearly taken him to where he is today. Teteg also refers to his strong commitment to excellence while being uneasily diverted from what's already planned or targeted. This is one of the reasons the book comes to be titled Everyday is Winning Experience. 

Yuhronur receives a copy the book from Khoirul Anam.

As for tutug, it indicates resilience that has kept Anam advance and avoid him from giving up. He is fully determined to complete any task with the best possible result without desperation to quit halfway. His genuine aspiration has been to excel not only in what he does but also in establishing an afterlife connection.    

  

Divine intervention and humility 

A recipient of the 2021 Inspiring School Principal award, Anam defines his success as merely God's grace and compassion. He is not interested in crediting his abilities or mere competence for the triumphant leadership when saying in the book, 

"This is all nothing but Allah's grace and generosity."   

This is what makes Khoirul Anam stand out from other teachers or fellow principals. Not only is he special due to a variety of prestigious awards but also his serious commitment to building students' character while nurturing humility in the process.

"That's what makes Mr. Anam unique that we decided to write about him in the first place," said Isnaini Khomarudin one of the writers present during the discussion. 

 

In the wake of Covid-19 pandemic, I have seemed to be even more vulnerable to diseases or particular conditions that include fatigue or weariness. In addition to losing memory, my brain seems to be slowing down when processing things, resulting in anxiety. I can't help being fussed about daily stuff that needs organization and immediate responses.

When I told my friends about this tendency, most would think the opposite as if I'm in fact humblebragging in some ways. In my 40s, trying to impress people by boasting or being modest has never been an option. To be frank, I no longer need that stage of taking pride in anything. To be able to survive the ongoing trials in sustainable economy and wellness are what really matter and I'll be doing at all costs without disregarding important values. 

When I let myself be absorbed in today's hectic life, especially the loomingly-said global crisis, I have submitted to a life of vulnerability. Too much consideration is nothing but harmful to decision-making as well as my physical condition. As inevitable as it can be, demonstrating indifference has likely become a choice of excellence up till now. 

Every decision, no matter how personal, is worth fighting.

Too often it is being indifferent that makes me strong and walk tall in many situations. Knowing too much sometimes creates depression and extra precautions that are somehow counterproductive to growth both financially and spiritually. Taking things for granted may not always be ideal, but taking everything into account too much seriously will guarantee no peace or solace. 

To be intentionally deaf aka not giving a fuck

As far as I'm concerned, I can refer to this condition as being ngopok. Ngopok is a Javanese word that derives from kopok meaning deaf. While kopok is a natural occurrence, ngopok is a deliberate action to not listen to what's not paramount. By ngopok, we choose to not give a fuck about what other people say or think in response to our current situations. It doesn't imply that we lack awareness, but there's more promptness to stay on our lane of concerns.

So when you're able to be indifferent on many issues, it's very unlikely that you'll be gopok (vulnerable) in terms of material or mental condition. The courage to be ngopok gives us more space to gain more independence as to become who we truly are without the fear of reckless judgment or imminent agony.