How if emptiness is (still) an epidemic (even when you don't realize it)

In my country: Indonesia, people living in a community, that means you won't be (literally) alone. Especially when Indonesia's population is more than 240 million and make it as the top fourth of the world population. Well, just imagine, people are everywhere, at any direction. Sounds good and fun huh? Let's compare with this contradictory picture.

Nobody was there. This is a picture of the outdoor cafe at McCrory Garden in one of the beautiful morning in summer. Just imagine how the merrier this place when people are present, and see the reality when nobody is there. Different huh?

Indeed, feel the difference is actually not easy, right? (at least for some of you who admit it), especially when you are rarely alone, meaning you are always busy with somebody else and only have very limited time to know and explore yourself (or even the opposite situation which means you are always, alone). You won't feel the difference, don't even feel it, you may not even see it as a difference. So sad, you can't feel the sensation of knowing the difference.

OK, now tell me what do you feel when you see the above pic? This is around my campus at University of Maryland College Park, and it was taken on one of the beautiful noon in Fall when the student are still around. Can you feel the difference? Can you imagine when the student were sitting, chatting and laughing at this spot? If you cannot feel it, you loose your sense of feeling the difference.

The next picture is even better. It's supposed to be a wedding picture at the park in summer time, but nobody was there (yet, of course), and just empty chairs in rows (including empty bench in the back). What does this pic tell you about? Take a moment and give the answer to yourself only, cause I do know my own answer.

Don't take me wrong, if I still like to share a story about empty bench/chair, don'no why and don't ask me why? But I feel the passion and sense of the emptiness when putting all pictures together. Just recall, I didn't take all the pic in the same time. This is timely and geographically different. And I didn't take the pic on purpose, just do it naturally. But the message is (still) the same: emptiness! Now even much more deeper, cause the emptiness is not only shown by single or double benches, but by many chairs and benches.

The next picture is even better. I don't even realize it till saw it on my laptop screen. Have you ever seen a metro that is normally operating (on daily basis) but nobody is inside? I felt so awkward when experienced that situation on spot (though I didn't feel the difference immediately). Look!! Awesome.

People, how if emptiness is actually everywhere without you notice? How if (actually) people were present (in every spot), but you don't see or feel it? It may happen someday, even started already recently. Behold, how busy people (in common areas) with their own private device? Scary huh?

Never mind, don't take it seriously, I only feel not comfortable, cause this week is supposed to be a great week for vacation. Unfortunately it doesn't work like that, at least for me! I have tons of work that have to be accomplished in less than three weeks before (again) leaving the country for another month.

Well, busy sometimes is good, or otherwise. One day it will be paid off !!