Our Dreams

Unexpected Meeting

Today, Ara and her parents went to the Istiqlal
Mosque to participate in the routine charity activities
that her parents regurarly do. This was not the first
time Ara had been here many times before for charity
activities or just to stop by for worship. When the idea to build the largest mosque in
Indonesia was first conceived, President Soekarno
had the idea to build the Istiqlal Mosque adjacent to
the Cathedral Church, which had been built in 1901.
At that time, Soekarno wanted the Istiqlal Mosque to
be built side by side with the Cathedral Church to
symbolize the spirit of brotherhood, unity, and
religious tolerance in accordance with the foundation
of the Indonesian state, namely Pancasila.
"Is it still a while, Mom?" she asked her mom.
"I don't know yet. What's wrong?" asked her mom.

"I'm going to the front to catch some air," said Ara.
"Okay, be careful not to go too far," said mom.
"Okay, Mom," said Ara as she walked out of the
magnificent mosque.
Ara came out of the mosque and headed to an empty
seat nearby, adjacent to the Cathedral Church. She
immediately sat down and enjoyed the fresh air after
the rain.
Shan, a tall, thin young man with cute dimples on his
cheeks, sat on a bench in the park in front of the
Cathedral Church. He had just finished praying and
was enjoying the quiet atmosphere around the church.
Suddenly, Shan saw a beautiful girl in a hijab sitting
nearby.
The girl was enjoying the atmosphere solemnly, her
face radiating an aura of peace. Shan was mesmerized
by her beauty and her positive aura. He had wanted to
greet the girl, but he hesitated. He didn't want to
disturb her tranquility. He could only silently admire
her from afar.
Ara felt that someone was watching her; her eyes
immediately searched for the figure until finally, they
stopped on a man, Shan, who was talking to a cat.
"Hi," said Ara, happily.
"Oh, hi," said Shan in surprise because he didn't
expect that the girl would greet him first. "Did you just go to church there?" asked Ara as her
hand pointed towards the cathedral church.
"Oh, yes, you came from there too," said Shan as his
hand also pointed to the Istiqlal Mosque.
"Yes, hehe, there was a charity event there," said Ara.
"Oh yeah, there seem to be a lot of charity events
there."
They chatted for hours, discussing various things,
ranging from daily life to hobbies to ideals. They
found many things in common with each other, and
they felt very comfortable with each other.
"Can I ask you something?" asked Ara cautiously.
"Sure, what is it?" said Shan.
"How do you find peace in the hustle and bustle of
this city? Sometimes I find it hard to find peace within
myself." asked Ara
Shan was silent for a moment, pondering Ara's
question.
"I think serenity comes from within ourselves. We
can find it anywhere, as long as we are willing to open
our hearts and minds to receive it. For me, music is
one way to find peace. When I play music, I feel like
I'm connecting with something bigger than myself."
Shan said at length "I like the way you think. Maybe I can try to find my
own peace through music too." Ara said while trying
to understand what Shan was saying, and Shan
smiled.
"I'm sure you can. You have talent and a beautiful
soul,
" Shan said.
"Ara, let's go home," shouted Ara's mom from quite a
distance.
"Yes, Mom, just a minute!" shouted Ara.
"I think I will go home now. Oh, we talked earlier, but
I don't know your name," said Ara.
"Just call me Shan. What's your name?" asked Shan
while extending his hand.
"Ara, call me Ara," said Ara while shaking Shan's
hand, and finally, they shook hands.
"I'm glad I met you, Ara. I hope we can meet again,
"
Shan said it with a smile that revealed his dimples.
"I'm glad I met you too, Shan. I also hope we can meet
again,
" Ara said happily.
Before parting, they exchanged social media contact
information. They smiled at each other and waved
goodbye. Shan and Ara had no idea that this meeting
would be the beginning of a beautiful and meaningful
friendship. When Ara arrived home, she immediately
sent a message to Shan inviting him to meet again,
and Shan agreed.