About Me — Sylvia Silvers

@sylvia_astutigunawan

Why do I write?

For me, writing is to inspire.

I want to motivate people to spread more love to live a joyful and meaningful life through writing.

I love His Holiness Dalai Lama so much, and his teachings have influenced my life so much.

Growing up in Indonesia with a Chinese ancestor background has taught me many lessons about how racism can affect someone’s life.

I thought that I am an Indonesian until friends at primary school teased me and called me “CINA” *Cina means China in Indonesian.

I started to hear people calling me “CINO”* when I moved to Java island. *Cino is China in Javanese.

I thought that I am Chinese until one person in China asked me, “Are you Indonesian?”

So who am I then?

That confusion didn’t stop there.

1998, there was a massive scandal here in Indonesia.

How rioters killed and raped “Chinese,” and some even mentioned killing all the Christians.

But, it’s not only here in Indonesia.

It’s everywhere globally; people are killing each other and live with hatred because of the differences we have.

Even because somebody may have a different opinion about some silly things.

Do all humans have to be green, one color just like the aliens, with the same face and same religion to love each other?

Becoming a writer is very important to me.

I want to raise the voice of one humanity.

Yes, we are ONE.

Please only say and write the right words, so no more hatred means no more killings and sufferings.

Please fill your heart with loving-kindness, compassion, and forgiveness.

Let’s make the world a better place to live.

One stupid sentence or opinion from one Christian doesn’t mean that all Christians have the same thought or mind and are worth killing.

When we were born, we can’t choose our religion, skin color, or race.

We are born with a pure mind until the environment transforms us into who we are.

Words can kill.

Words can heal.

As a writer, we have the power to change the world.

We have given all the options to choose from and must decide wisely.

Isn’t it great to motivate others to live a more peaceful life?

“If we can cultivate a concern for others, keeping in mind the oneness of humanity, we can build a more compassionate world.”

~His Holiness The 14th Dalai Lama~