I am poor, cruel, dirty, and fat...

I am rich
Compared to the old lady selling banana chips by the roadside at night

I am poor
Compared to my friends who drive Porches and live in huge mansions

I am smart
Compared to a normal 5 year-old who just starts reading

I am stupid
Compared to those with genius IQ

I am kind
Compared to the criminals in the prison

I am cruel
Compared to animal lovers who never kill a single living thing

I am a clean freak
Compared to hoarders who live in a dungeon

I am dirty
Compared to an OCB (Obsessive Compulsive Behavior) person

I am talkative
Compared to my husband

I am a quiet person
Compared to my friends doing sales for multi-level marketing

I am religious
Compared to an atheist

I am not pious
Compared to my friends who never miss praying 5 times a day and wear hijab

I am skinny
Compared to the 180-kg biggest loser contestants

I am fat
Compared to Victoria Secret models

I am remembering what my nanny told me when I was young : Di atas awan ada langit yang lebih tinggi dan di bawah pantai ada laut yang lebih dalam. In plain English : there is a higher sky above the clouds and there is a deeper ocean below the beach.

My nanny worked for our family since my father was 1 year old and stayed with us until I was 9 years old. She had always been a part of our family and I will always remember the kind words and advices she told me.

Though she didn't go to school, her wisdom can beat any Oxford graduates...

Today I got sentimental thinking about Nini Kimah, my late nanny... She assured me that I was not fat, I was smart, I was not naughty and I was not ugly by teaching me doing the comparisons above (of course she didn't compare me to Victoria Secret's models but to the Indonesian actress Titiek Puspa)

Today, when I felt down and thought that I was not slim enough (shocked looking at the scale..!) and not good enough (forgot to do a lot of things) her words came back to wake me up....

And I am fine....