The Time When I Lived and Breathe Furniture.
I spent a morning in Yogyakarta and stopped at a cafe a friend had suggested. The place was called Nest. I thought it was a regular coffee shop, but it turned out to be a full furniture showroom. The company made wooden pieces, upholstered items, and beds. I headed straight to the counter, ordered a latte, and found a seat on one of the multilevel decks. The greenery and the unusual decorations, including a BMW turned into a flower pot, made the space feel memorable.
After finishing my drink, I asked for the restroom. I walked through the showroom and felt a strong pull into my past. I spent thirty-five years in the furniture industry. We closed our facility about fourteen or fifteen years ago. Seeing the pieces on display sparked old memories. My mind jumped back into familiar routines, and I immediately understood how every part was built. The details were still there in my head.
What Was The Focus?
Standing there reminded me of the years when our focus was production speed, cost control, and practical design. Everything had to be built so workers could handle it quickly and without confusion. That life shaped my days from childhood until my mid-forties. I left it behind when the business closed, and I never planned to return.
Living in Indonesia now, writing books, and building a new path is a sharp contrast to those decades. I do not miss the pressure of furniture manufacturing. Seeing that showroom confirmed it. I can appreciate the craft without wanting to go back to it.
I stepped out, returned to my table, finished the last sip of my latte, and felt a quiet sense of closure. I could look at a past life with clarity instead of weight. After thirty-five years in one field, switching careers and moving across the world showed me that you can start again, even if your entire identity was once tied to something else.
