senja

wanita tua itu masih terus memainkan tangannya pada sebuah kain dan jarum jahit yang dipadu dengan benang. sudah tidak banyak lagi yang bisa dilakukan olehnya, seiring dengan semakin tegasnya kerutan diwajah. dia lebih banyak menghabiskan waktu di teras rumah sambil memandangi langit sore. sesekali menoleh untuk melihat sesosok lelaki tua renta yang duduk di kursi goyang di sampingnya yang kadang matanya terpejam.
wanita tua, "sebaiknya kamu ambil tongkat itu lalu pergi untuk tidur."
lelaki tua itu tidak menjawab dan masih terus duduk sambil menggoyangkan kursinya. goyangan dari kursi itu menimbulkan suara yang sangat khas. suara yang perlahan dan terus berulang-ulang. sangat begitu khas.
wanita tua, "tau kah kamu, wajah mu, semakin banyak garis kerut yang melintang di dahi mu."
lelaki tua, "ya.. begitu juga kamu. setidaknya kamu masih tetap disini."
sambil tetap meneruskan sulamannya pada kain, wanita tua itu tersenyum kecil mendengar perkataan lelaki tua. sesekali membenarkan posisi kacamata yang terpasang di wajahnya.
wanita tua, "kau masih sama seperti dulu, masih tetap membuat ku selalu tersenyum."
lelaki tua itu lalu meminum kopi yang ada di meja samping dimana ia duduk.
lelaki tua, "dan kamu masih terus bisa membuat kopi untuk aku minum. hanya saja rambut mu yang semakin memutih."
senja semakin memerah, diikuti matahari yang semakin menepi.
wanita tua, "kamu masih bisa dengan jelas melihat langit itu?"
pria tua, "tidak ada yang berubah dari langit itu, dia masih terlihat jingga."
wanita tua itu hanya terkikih kecil mendengar perkataan sang lelaki tua. lalu memutuskan untuk terus menyulam kain yang ada dipangkuannya.
wanita tua, "kehidupan berjalan layaknya hari. terus berputar, dari pagi menuju senja lalu beranjak untuk malam. sudah tidak banyak lagi yang bisa aku lakukan saat ini."
lelaki tua, "setidaknya kamu masih bisa menyulam pakaian untuk ku."
adzan magrib mulai berkumandang dari surau-surau, disusul dengan tak terdengar lagi suara khas dari kursi goyang. lelaki tua itu sudah memejamkan matanya. wanita tua menaruh jarum jahit dan sulaman lalu berjalan untuk mengambilkan sebuah selimut.

Maria Sharapova

Maria Sharapova was born on April 19, 1987 in Nyagan, a town in the Siberian region of Russia. In 1989, the family moved to the Black Sea resort town of Sochi.

When she was 4 years old, a chance encounter changed her life. She met with the father of tennis champion Yevgeny Kafelnikov, and the man gave her a racket. From that moment, she started hitting tennis balls. The game soon became a passion for her.

Two years later, she was performing at a tennis clinic when another tennis champion changed her life. Martina Navratilova was in the building and she was flabbergasted by the talent of the 6-year-old. She went to her father, Yuri, and recommended that he take his daughter to the world-famous Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Florida.

sharapova moves to america
Soon after, this same advice was repeated by the head coach of the Russian Federation. Everyone agreed it was the best thing to do in light of Maria’s enormous talent. When she was only 7, Yuri took his daughter to the U.S. without knowing a word of English and with less than $1,000 in his pocket.

IMG, the sports management company, agreed to sponsor Maria and put up the $35,000 US per year it costs to stay at the Bollettieri Academy. Not knowing any English either, she was very shy and introverted.

While her father took odd jobs, Maria moved into the school dorm when she was 9. Sharing a room with three older girls, she quickly learned the language. Still, it was hard on her, especially since her mother, Yelena, remained in Russia because she couldn’t get the proper visa.

Two years later, her mother was finally able to come to Florida and be reunited with her daughter and husband. From that moment, she took it upon herself to educate Maria, who has never been in a formal school in her life.

maria’s smash hit
Her official tennis career began in 2001, when she joined the junior circuit. During that year, she won 25 matches and only lost three. In the process, she came away with three titles: Sacramento, Hilton Head and Pilsen in the Czech Republic.

The following season, Sharapova did even better on the junior circuit with 26 victories and, again, only three losses. She once more won three titles: Vancouver, Peachtree and Gunma in Japan. The same year, she was allowed to play a limited number of matches on the professional tour.

She won one match and lost two, including one against Monica Seles in the second round at Indian Wells, her first professional tournament. After all the results were tabulated, she was ranked 186th on the WTA charts.


sharapova’s year
By 2003, Sharapova had paid her dues and was able to play in the big leagues. She joined the WTA Tour and impressed everyone with her talent. For that season, she came away with 34 wins and a negligible 11 losses.

Sharapova also won two professional titles: Quebec City and the Japan Open. She also won two doubles titles with Tamarine Tanasugarn: Luxembourg and the Japan Open. When the season was over, her ranking had improved to place her at number 32.

In 2004, she stunned Wimbledon audiences when she beat champion player Serena Williams, making Sharapova the first Russian to win a Wimbledon singles title and the third-youngest women’s champion in history.

sharapova hits the books
At present, she is putting an end to her high school education through Keystone High, an online high school. She does photo shoots once in a while but her priority is tennis. Besides, she doesn’t need the money, as she has very lucrative endorsement deals with Nike, NEC and Prince. Sharapova currently resides in Bradenton, Florida.

Feuerbach dan Karl Marx

Feuerbach: Kepercayaan manusia akan Allah berdasarkan dari keinginan hati manusia. Karena manusia sendiri tidak merasa bahagia di dunia ini dan mengalami berbagai-berbagai kekurangan, lalu manusia mulai membayangkan di luar dirinya suatu Wujud yang sama sekali sempurna dan tak pernah kekurangan, yaitu Allah. Manusia menciptakan Allah menurut citranya sendiri.

Karl Marx: Agama adalah perealisasian manusia justru belum berhasil merealisasikan hakikatnya. Agama adalah tanda keterasingan manusai dari dirinya sendiri. Manusia yang membuat agama, bukan agama yang membuat manusia.

Agama hanyalah tanda keterasingan manusia tetapi bukan dasarnya. Keterasingan manusia adalah ungkapan keterasingan yang lebih mendalam. Agama hanyalah sebuah pelarian karena realitas memaksa manusia melarikan diri. ”Agama adalah realitas hakikat manusia dalam angan-angan kerena hakikat manusia tidak mempunyai realitas yang sungguh-sungguh. jadi, ”Agama sekaligus ungkapan penderitaan yang sungguh-sungguh dan protes terhadap penderitaan yang sungguh-sungguh. Agama adalah keluhan makhluk yang tertekan, perasaan dunia tanpa hati, sebagaimana ia adalah roh zaman yang tanpa roh. Ia adalah candu rakyat.