A Feast of Healing

This Sunday, we didn’t go to church. Not because I’ve suddenly become rebellious, but because I’m still in recovery mode and, honestly, the idea of making my husband escort me back and forth to the toilet using wheel-chair during service didn’t sound like the most spiritual activity. So we stayed home, tuned into the online service, and was actually really blessed. The sermon spoke about the phases of human life: dependent, independent, and interdependent. It was like someone had put words to what I’ve been experiencing lately. Watch the sermon here.

Recovery humbles you. Suddenly, I’m dependent on people again. My husband helping me walk, my mom making sure I eat, my children pushing my wheelchair. But strangely, I don’t feel diminished by it. I’m reminded that life isn’t meant to be lived as a lone ranger or xylo. True growth is when we lean into interdependence. And maybe that’s why this season, with all its vulnerability, feels oddly rich.

I thought the rest of the day would be slow: Netflix, snuggles, and some lazy banter with my husband. But recovery likes to throw plot twists. In the middle of a bathroom trip, my surgical bandage decided it had had enough of me and just… plopped to the floor. I froze. I panicked. Was I leaking? Was I unraveling like a poorly wrapped Christmas present?

WhatsApp to my oncologist? No reply yet. Of course, doctors have their own busy lives saving people. Cue my lifesaver, Mas Yusuf. Once again, he guided me like the guardian angel of hospital logistics, arranging things so I could rush to the ER and get it fixed. Sat set. Bandage replaced. No drama. Thank God!

And then came hunger. Real, gnawing hunger. The kind that doesn’t want a polite salad but wants something bold, unapologetic, and dripping with flavor. I looked at my husband and made my humble request: “Please, I need Padang food.”

We tried Payakumbuah first just because it's the nearest from hospital, but the waitlist was longer than my patience. And really, who wants to wait for gulai? Not me. So we went where all cravings eventually lead us: Resto Pagi Sore. The holy grail of comfort food. The moment the dishes arrived: rendang, gulai, sambal, and that glorious crispy stuff you don’t know the name of but eat anyway.. I was transported. Every bite was like an edible love letter to my healing body. Look at the photos. Proof that happiness can be measured in plates. The bill? Worth every rupiah.

Back home, I joined closing circle of Rahne’s 21 Days of Receiving program. Something about the word “receiving” hit me lately. Maybe healing is not so much about doing but allowing. Allowing people to care for me. Allowing food to nourish me. Allowing joy to sneak in between pain and rest.

Now here I am, typing this blog while waiting for my night meds to kick in. Tonight I’ll try something new: adult pampers. Not exactly the glamorous accessory of my dreams, but hey, if it helps me sleep without the 3 a.m. toilet struggle, I’ll take it. Healing requires humor too, right?

Elizabeth Gilbert once wrote, “You need to learn how to select your thoughts just the same way you select your clothes every day.” Today, I chose gratitude over panic, sambal over sulking, and laughter over fear.

Cheers,
Nuniek Tirta

Comments

Saya Nuniek Tirta, bukan ((hanya)) seorang Istri Direktur

Catatan penting: untuk mencapai pemahaman penuh, mohon klik dan baca setiap tautan. Awalnya adalah pertanyaan . Membuahkan suatu jawaban . Diposting di akun pribadi, seperti yang biasa saya lakukan sejak hampir 15 tahun lalu , bahkan sebelum Mark Zuckerberg membuat Facebook. Jawaban yang juga autopost ke facebook itu menjadi viral, ketika direshare oleh lebih dari 20ribu orang, dengan emoticon lebih dari 38ribu, dan mengundang 700++ komentar. Kemudian menjalar liar, ketika portal-portal media online mengcopas ditambah clickbaits. Tidak ada media yang mewawancara saya terlebih dahulu ke saya kecuali satu media yang menghasilkan tulisan berkelas dengan data komprehensif ini . Well, ada juga yang sempat email ke saya untuk meminta wawancara, tapi belum sempat saya jawab, sudah menurunkan berita duluan selang sejam setelah saya posting foto di bustrans Jakarta . Selebihnya... Tidak ada yang konfirmasi terlebih d...

Family Holiday at Club Med Bintan - Premium All Inclusive Resort

I just had family holiday at Club Med Bintan, on 14-17 December 2017. To be frankly honest, it was way more fun than I expected as a short weekday getaway. Definitely one of the best vacation that we ever had! Photo of us in Club Med Bintan by Sweet Escape Transportation from Jakarta to Bintan Island We flew on Thursday morning, 14 December by Garuda Indonesia from Terminal 3 Soekarno-Hatta International Airport to Tanjung Pinang Raja Haji Fisabillah International Airport. It was scheduled to be boarding at 10:30 but unfortunately got delayed for about an hour, so we arrived at around 1pm. Transportation from Bintan airport to Bintan resort At Bintan airport, a driver was already waiting with a sign board "Club Med". We then continued the journey by car, an hour long road without traffic jam at all. Not much to see along the way, most of it was some kind of deserted areas. But when we entered Lagoi area, it is green everywhere I see. Arrival at ...

Year End Reflection Ritual : 2025 - 2026

I came across Mel Robbins’ year end reflection ritual, six questions she has been answering for the past twenty two years. Six questions sound harmless, almost cute. Like a magazine quiz that ends with “you are a sunflower.” But once I started answering them honestly, I realized this was not a personality test. This was an emotional audit. Let’s start with the hardest one. The low points of the year. There were some. Actually, quite plenty. I can say this without drama now, but 2025 has been my lowest year since 2013. That year taught me survival. This year tested endurance. One of the heaviest moments came quietly, from a place I never expected to reach our home. It felt like standing in the middle of a storm that wasn’t ours to begin with, yet somehow found us anyway. My husband chose to stay when it would have been easier to leave, to keep holding the bridge together so others could cross safely. Opportunities passed by, shiny and tempting, but he remained where he believed responsi...

Broadway & Lo-Deh

We spent the afternoon around Alam Sutera today because my eldest had a hangout date with a friend. While dropping her off, I sneaked in a quick errand to Vintage Vibes Broadway to drop some preloved items. I’ve been consigning there for years now. It’s almost a ritual. End of year equals decluttering season. Sorting through things forces me to ask honest questions. Do I still need this or is it ready to have a new life with someone else. Some items get sold, some get donated, and somehow my head always feels lighter along with the shelves. While waiting, the youngest sat with daddy, wrestling numbers and fractions like a true year end plot twist. Math lessons in public spaces have their own soundtrack. Scribbling, deep sighs, and occasional I think I get it now followed by wait no I don’t. All that while sitting in front of coffee shop, ordered their signature coffee and tea, and our daughter bought iced chocolate from the shop next door. When the hangout was done, we decided t...

Full Plates, Full Agendas

Ladies’ day out with Mba Fit usually begins with me doing nothing but being picked up. At around 09:20, she arrived in the lobby carrying not gossip, but food. The best kind of opening. She handed me a Wegogrill package filled with frozen chicken sausages and their signature smoked chicken—no flour, no sugar, no MSG, no eggs, no milk. Healthy and genuinely tasty. Thank you, Mba Fit and Wegogrill! Next stop: Itjeher Salon . The plan was straightforward. I did creambath and blow, Mba Fit did creambath and manicure. Unfortunately, this time my experience was not as good as the usual. The massage lacked soul, the blowout lacked commitment, and the final result lacked longevity. By the time I stepped outside, my hair had already given up on life. Better remember the good therapist's name next time! After that, hunger took over, as it always does. We headed confidently to Ramu Saji by Ashoka , our usual safe space. Only to be greeted by a sign that said Tutup. Closed. So we pivoted, li...

Christmas, Cake, and a 45 Year Old Legend

Merry Christmas and happy 45th birthday to my amazing husband! The yin to my yang. The calm app to my permanently open tabs. Year 2025 really said, “Let’s test you,” didn’t it? Testing limits, patience, and faith all at once. So here’s my prayer for the new year. More luck. More ease. More people loving you. And above all, God’s blessing wrapped around you like bubble wrap. Amen. The day started exactly how every memorable family day should. With chaos. From BSD , we had to swing by Jagakarsa first. The main mission was innocent enough. Pick up pre ordered bread from my former neighbor. Secondary mission, collect a giant burger from Ken’s Burger for birthday candle blowing purposes. Because nothing says “happy 45th” like a burger pretending to be a cake. But of course, upon arrival, another neighbor was about to leave for mudik . So we talked. And talked. And kept talking while repeatedly saying, “We really have to go,” yet not moving at all. Our Dutch tenant had alrea...

Perawatan wajah dan cerita masa muda

Andaikata blog dan social media saya punya semacam FAQ (Frequently Asked Question, alias pertanyaan yang paling sering ditanyakan), sudah pasti di urutan pertama akan bertengger pertanyaan: "Pakai produk perawatan wajah apa?" Banyaaaakkk banget follower instagram / facebook / twitter saya yang nanya gitu, dan minta saya mengulasnya. Saya bilang sabar, tunggu tanggal mainnya. Tapi sebelum saya jawab pertanyaan itu, saya mau mengenang masa muda dulu ah.. Jadi begini cucuku... Waktu pertama kali ngeblog 15 tahun lalu , usia saya masih 21 (yak silakan dihitung usia saya sekarang berapa, pinterrrr). Jadi jangan heran kalo gaya bahasanya masih 4I_aY 4b3zzz.. (eh ga separah itu juga sih, hehe). Tapi ekspresi nulisku di masa-masa itu masih pure banget, nyaris tanpa filter. Jadi kalo dibaca lagi sampai sekarang pun masih berasa seru sendiri. Kayak lagi nonton film dokumenter pribadi. Kadang bikin ketawa ketiwi sendiri, kadang bikin mikir, kadang bi...

Roadtrip With No Deadline and Plenty of Snacks

Road trip day! We hit the road at 8 a.m., thirty minutes later than planned. But honestly, who cares? There was no deadline, no race to win. As long as everyone was accounted for and nothing important was left behind, we were good. Bonus point: I actually slept well the night before, which meant as the navigator of this journey, wasn’t half-asleep behind the wheel feels like small but crucial victory. Our first stop was at 9:30 a.m. at KM 57 rest area . The reason was simple and non-negotiable: coffee. My husband also needed to stop to do some office transfers, because work apparently travels with you now. While he was busy, I took Coffee Kenangan promo : buy two Toffee Nut Lattes , get one Americano free. Perfect timing, because my mom had specifically requested an Americano. Total damage: 50k. Cheap joy is still joy. While my husband was still glued to his phone, I dragged my mom to participate at Jasa Marga survey . The prize? An umbrella. She was ridiculously happy because, surpri...

Tempat belanja baju murah berkualitas

Hai! Sudah baca postingan blog aku sebelumnya tentang Industri Fashion dan Harga Jujur ? Di situ aku jelasin, kenapa aku tahu caranya mendapatkan produk fashion murah meriah. Nah sekarang aku kasitau ya, di mana aja sih biasanya aku menemukan produk2 fashion khususnya baju harga murah berkualitas... Bazaar Bazaar Bulog Bazaar Bank Mandiri Bazaar Bapindo (tapi katanya udah nggak ada lagi sejak Juli lalu, hiks) Festival Kemang Street Festival Jakarta, biasanya Juni/Juli Kappabashi Street Festival Asakusa (dapet jaket, tas, boots keren ngga sampai 40ribuan), biasanya Juni/Juli Garage Sale / Second Market Finder's Fair, Cilandak Town Square Kemang Garage Sale Warmee Garage Sale, Senopati Pasar Tradisional Pasar Ar-Riyadh Tegal Parang (kaos dan sandal baru bagus2 15ribuan) Onlineshop Sale Stock Indonesia, harga jujur BelowCepek.com, semua di bawah 100ribu Marketplace Chatuchak Bangkok...

A Day Off from Motherhood

Happy Mother’s Day ! This year, I asked for nothing. No flowers, no cake with dramatic candles, no surprise gifts. I simply announced to my husband and children, very calmly and very firmly: today, I am on leave from being a mother. Full holiday. Zero duties. Which meant no cooking, no dishwashing, no laundry sorting, no reminding anyone of anything. And to my surprise, they took it seriously. Like… seriously seriously. The kitchen was fully taken over. Meals were planned, cooked, and served. The laundry from the service? Sorted and packed for our upcoming road trip. They even tidied up before the Ranger Clean Sheet team arrived, so the ranger could handle the things they couldn’t or simply didn’t want to do. Teamwork, delegation, project management . I was impressed. My husband, who once treated dishwashing like a personal enemy, suddenly became the most diligent man in the room. Yes, we have a dishwasher. Yes, he still washed all the big pots and pans by ha...

The Diary of a CEO's Wife

Search This Blog