Has LIFE been good to you?

Many people complain that life has been bad to them? Yet, there are others who feel they've been lucky to have a good life till now, touch wood.

When one has too much work, one tends to complain. Especially in the fast and changing world of advertising and commercial film making, people tend to have perennial complaints about being over worked. But, there are still many who take the work load as a chance for them to prove themselves, as a sign that they are being trusted by their superiors, as a blessing that they are working when millions of others out there, including fresh college grads each year, are struggling to find work.

The ladies selling fried rice in push carts and make shift road side stores in Jakarta obviously have a tough life too. Their normal day starts at 4 in the morning and they don't stop till they've served the last plate of rice in their carts for the day - if they're lucky to sell all their food. What satisfaction do they get from their job? Perhaps the occasional praise from a satisfied customer? Most of the time, they are just making enough to survive and to feed their families. They don't get the chance to go on stage to collect an award for excellence, like the advertising executives and film people do. No one appraises their performances and give them salary raises each year. There's almost no hope of promotion - unless a hungry white knight happens to visit her cart or store and likes her food so much that he gives her a break at cooking in a restaurant, maybe his restaurant.

Taxi drivers are not different in their fates. They can't be working as taxi drivers waiting for this opportunity to be admired by a tycoon who happens to take a ride in his cab and adore his driving skill so much as to hire him to drive his limousine? Most taxi drivers zig-zag through the crowded streets of Jakarta to "deliver" their fares, so they can get the next in order to make ends meet. What chance have they got of anyone adoring their driving skills? Ask any commuter who've had to ride in cabs in this city and they will have the same answers.

So for those of us who has managed to land ourselves with cushy jobs in air conditioned offices, looking at life with a different perspective won't hurt.

I was talking to a friend today who works in the advertising film production industry as a freelance crew. He was working flat out in the last few months, traveling from one place to another and shooting great commercials. His first expression when I asked about work met with frowns and how hectic and tough work had been these last few months. But when I asked if he'd rather be working or idling at home with his wife and kids, the face beamed with a wide smile and the answer was obvious. At the rate he's charging for each day of shoot, his whole family would be able to afford most of the nice things in life. His kids will be assured of a good education if they wanted to and worked for it. His wife will be shopping with other wives during her free time. And he can look forward to relaxing in his retirement home when he chooses to stop working.

So the next time you find that you're over worked and under appreciated, think about the nasi goreng ibu (lady selling fried rice) or taxi driver or all the millions out there living today without knowing if they'll be able to make enough tomorrow. Maybe you will learn to savor your present more.