Again, my friend Hani just sent me a great idea for this entry --- via text message yesterday. I don't know why, but it just hit me instantly the moment I read it.
 And of course, I should give her a credit for this.
 Hani said she'd read a survey on "Intisari" (a local version of the popular "Readers' Digest") about...umm, Indonesian people. Our people. It was stated that despite being very poor (well, most of us here anyway), Indonesians were also (considered) the happiest. Surprise, surprise. I don't mean to sound sarcastic about this, but I just can't help it. I've already seen reality. The fact is there.
 I agree with Hani. That survey is a total nonsense. However, we have our different reasons. She said sometimes true happiness doesn't always involve money or other material things. Happiness already lives within us and all we have to do is just search for it.
 True. I believe that too. However, I'd like to add:

 Honestly, I silently wonder if they've also read about a first-grade school boy's suicide in a village in Kendal, Central Java. He was from a very poor family. His father only makes a small living from driving a becak (a tri-cycle cart for a public transportation in villages and small towns). His mother has been long gone. The boy only lived with his blind grandmother most of the time at home.
 Poverty only made him able to eat once a day. Surprisingly, that didn't stop him from being a smart student and getting good grades in school, one of his teachers stated proudly. He was also well-liked by his classmates. However, he often felt really sick with his gastro problem. Still, he never wanted to skip school.
 Then one day, he didn't show up. His teacher thought it was unusual. When he decided to visit the boy's house right after school, he found the biggest shock of his life.
 The poor student was found hanging in his bedroom, with a plastic rope tightly around his neck. He couldn't stand his illness anymore.

 Meanwhile, I believe we've all seen our day-to-day irony. For all of us who at least still have enough money to fulfil our basic needs, how often do we complain about being unhappy? How often do we say: "It's not fair. I should earn more than this"?
 And how often do we realise that --- somehow --- we've already let our happiness only be defined by material things?
 No, I'm not going to state that we don't need money and material things to be happy, or believe that money can buy everything --- even happiness. Both sound hypocritical. I believe that depends on us and how we perceive life. Is ignorance bliss? Maybe. Sometimes it helps us from being unhappy, but not completely. After all, too much ignorance can lead to selfishness --- and then emptiness.
 As an Indonesian myself, I must say that I don't believe in that survey. In reality, everything is relative. Nothing is always a 100% certain.
 In other words, one survey doesn't define all. The generalization isn't all valid.

 The Author