“Studying in the school is important. However, being submissive to your mother is the most important thing,” my grandmother always reminds me when I come home to my hometown, Surabaya. Eyang - I love to call her with that name - was born on August 30th, 1943 when it was Japan’s occupation of Indonesia. Her name, like others who lived at that time, is only one word: Tusilah. She has a unique habit; she always reminds me by telling about her childhood. She likes to compare about teenager’s life at that time and at the present. Eyang says that to be a successful person is very easy, you only have to be submissive to your mother. It is proven; Eyang was only graduated in junior high school but she can have job in Taxation Office and even she could go to Hajj to Makkah. It reminds me about a quote, “A heaven is under your mother’s feet”.
Eyang was born on a precarious life, during a war between Japan’s occupation of Indonesia. It was the age when women is being minority in the society. Her parents are one of Indonesian fighters. Life was so hard at that time; she rarely met her parents at home because they had to defend their residence. She has four brothers and she is the only daughter in her family; she is the second of five brothers. However, she seemed to be a first kid because her oldest brother was very indifferent to his all younger brothers. She also seemed to be their parents at home because their parents were rarely going home.
“You have to always do whatever your parents’ directive. All of your parents’ words is a pray to you. So, make your parents always praying good things to yourself,” it was one of Eyang’s mother words that always remembered. Although her parents rarely went home, but her mother often instructed her that she had to be independent girl.