1000 Steps for a Bright Future

Who isn’t helpless when their legs, the body support, are broken? Who denied that stumbling steps from imperfect legs led to life with no direction?

People call him Mat Holan. He’s around 54 years old. Mat Holan lives in Surabaya. On a daily basis, he’s picking up trash (scavenger) in order to earn a living. He doesn’t earn much, but he is always grateful for what he has. What’s the matter? He is not able to do so many things. Yes, Mat Holan is incapable of certain jobs many people can do effortlessly. Not because he doesn’t want to, but because of his condition.

Like most people, Mat Holan also has hopes and wishes in life. Unfortunately, he must say goodbye to his dream. Things changed. He isn’t happy with it, but he can’t do anything about it either.

Mat Holan, a man of large stature, had a severe accident that changed his life. Job, wishes, dreams, purposes, even his life, changed in all of a sudden. He’s not the person he was, he can’t work the way he used to, he lost his hopes, he said goodbye to his dreams. He lost his way, all because of the accident. From normal to be extraordinary, not in a good way. He must do extra thinking, as if there’s no phrase other than “no matter what happened, I have to work things out”.

The accident devastated the most important things in his life back then. How come?  Because of the accident, he’s not able to work as he used to. Practically, he was financially unstable. Before the accident he spent his days on the street and worked as bus driver.

His life on the street taught him to be a strong-willed and thriving person. Among bus drivers, he’s known as hard worker. Even his closest friends barely heard him complain about his life. Years passed by leaning back on hard bus driver seat. Bittersweet life? He’s been there, done that.

Until one day it happened. That morning he left his house and drove the bus on his usual track, stayed calm as he started his daily routine. He wiped his windshield for a while then left to drive his bus since passengers has waited for the bus to come.

He had no idea if something unpleasant was going to happen. Mat Holan drove his bus as usual, on the same road and the view he used to pass through. Unfortunately, only God knows what was bugging his mind. He was driving his bus and suddenly “bruuuuuak”, the accident was inevitable.

Mat Holan collapsed. He was injured really badly and taken to hospital right after. His leg was seriously injured. Due to the incident, the doctor who treated him in the hospital could only amputate his leg.

He was shock when the doctor suggested an amputation, but Mat Holan also had no idea of what to do. At that time, he was only hoping that the doctor could get rid of the pain he felt on his leg. Even though he was unwilling at first, they ended up by amputating one of his legs.

Everything changed in a flash. Mat Holan used to press down the accelerator on his bus, now he can only slowly step on pile of trash. Sorting out and picking up junks that are still potential to be sold.