Obstacles are no excuse for not growing. This old adage seems to still powerfully shape the life of M. Reza Akbar, 30 years old. Born with normal physical condition, one event, however, caused Akbar's life to change completely. For years, he had to fight the grip of despair and inferiority.
One day in 2010, doctors declared that the blood vessels in both of Akbar's eyes had ruptured. A seemingly minor pain in both his eyes for several weeks turned out to result in a "devastating" diagnosis. His most precious sense of sight was no longer functional.
"I cried, it was so painful not just because of my eyes, but when everything went dark, it felt like there was no hope left to continue living, all my dreams vanished," Akbar said when speaking to the author in Jakarta. For the economics graduate from Trisakti University Jakarta, class of 2002, his dream of becoming a financial consultant vanished instantly.
There were no more friends or companions; even the intimacy of a newlywed couple, which had begun in 2009, was replaced day by day with tears of sorrow. He even "questioned" God, wondering why he was allowed to experience this trial.
"I isolated myself, disappearing from social life as if swallowed by the earth. I only ate, slept, and talked with my parents at home, and my entertainment was playing guitar in my room," said the youngest of seven siblings. Akbar tried to find a cure, from medical treatments to alternative therapies. He lived with this condition for over four years.
In the first year of treatment, Akbar applied for leave from his job. However, because his condition did not improve, the company eventually laid him off. Another trial came: due to unyielding psychological pressure, his marriage, which had barely lasted two years, finally ended.
"I didn't want to blame my wife at the time; the situation was truly very difficult. We decided to separate amicably," he said. Now all hope was lost. There was no longer any enthusiasm for life. The burden grew heavier as his status as a visually impaired person became increasingly challenging. However, amidst this situation.
"I finally prostrated myself in prayer to God; I surrendered completely, unwilling to rely on my own strength," said the man born in Jakarta on April 18, 1985. One day, he eventually found a foundation that sheltered the visually impaired community in the Lebak Bulus area of Jakarta. Initially ashamed, he eventually decided to go. Upon arriving, Akbar was surprised to find many people who shared a similar fate.
In early 2014, he finally joined the foundation and learned many things. Among them were learning to operate a computer with the help of voice-assisted screen reader programs, Braille, and even German. Akbar also began to delve into the benefits of social media trends for branding and communication purposes. With technological advancements, Akbar also found increasing help.
He also tried to learn how to operate a smartphone handset with a special program that relies on auditory senses. It was difficult at first, but Akbar did not give up. Akbar, full of spirit, hoped he could carve out even greater dreams.
"I fought with full conviction, I prayed and drew closer to God, never missing Monday-Thursday fasts," he said with a smile. And it was proven that with high fighting spirit, Akbar became adept at using various gadgets. He became familiar with many important programs and applications for various needs. With this proficiency, Akbar was often asked by his colleagues to share his knowledge on how to use gadgets for the visually impaired.
"I have been asked several times to assist the visually impaired community," he said. With his patience, Akbar was entrusted with managing the social media account of a high-ranking official in Indonesia. At that time, the official asked Akbar to introduce himself and his agency's programs to the public through social media. Not wanting to miss the opportunity, Akbar immediately accepted the offer.
Coincidentally, in early 2014, the official was going to run for President from one of the parties. Akbar, who initially knew nothing about politics, began to learn many things in that field. He associated with a number of echelon officials and bureaucratic staff at the institution. At that time, Akbar met a new friend, Yudo Widiyanto, who happened to have experience in journalism.
Akbar exchanged many ideas with Yudo about the world of writing and media trends in Indonesia. He increasingly realized that there were no obstacles to progress, even with limitations.
"We discussed many things like friends and solid partners; we supported each other, especially in programs related to social media campaigns," he added. Now, Akbar is skilled at creating engaging social media content. He manages a Twitter account with motivational themes. He said that most of his social media posts were inspired by his life journey during his blindness.
Akbar's posts are widely liked.
"Every time he 'tweets', it always receives positive responses from over 15,000 accounts," he said. Currently, the account has over 2 million followers. He said his future dream is to become a professional content writer. Currently, being a content writer is highly needed due to the growing digital world and various types of social media. Many companies need them for publication and campaign purposes.
"I believe that when I fall and suffer, God will come and lift me up. Thank you, God, because to this day I can still stand tall," said Akbar, who now regularly practices golf every week.