Year in year out, the idea of Valentine's Day would split my heart into two. Yes, I've been brought up with the mentality that Muslim shouldn't be celebrating the day for its purported connection to a Christian saint said to have brought down a Muslim civilisation but over the years, I've looked past such an association to see 14 February, by whatever name it goes, as the day to celebrate Love, the one thing that every culture and religion shares a great esteem of.
On one spectrum, I question as to why people have to go to extreme length to prove their love on just one particular day when they should be doing it every single day by even the simplest of gestures. On another, I just couldn't help smiling when I see couples walk around in town holding hands while the other hands were holding flowers or boxes of chocolates. Yes, I'm a sucker for romantic moments so it gave me great pleasure when I saw men walking around on Valentine's Day hand-in-hand with their partners while holding heart-shaped, ruby red baloons.
Much has been said about the day with regards to Malaysian Muslim authority and while I believe blaming the day as the cause of increased immoral activities and associating it with Christianity as a very shortsighted, if not foolishly immature, opinion, I do acknolwledge that Muslims should know the lines they can or cannot cross and that crossing them would result in some serious repercussions if caught. I, however, don't see the need for the whole moral policing shiz.
Having said that, I was utterly surprised when two of my coursemates, both of whom are British and Christian, said they didn't like the idea of Valentine's Day themselves. Both quoted commercialisation and the 'just-on-one-day' argument as the reasons why.
Yes, the most common secular arguments about Valentine's Day is that it has been way too commercialised but in all honesty, what celebration has not been? Most shopping malls would start putting up Christmas decorations as early as October and I wouldn't be surprised if I were to start seeing Easter rabbits and eggs by next week! In Malaysia, commercialisation happens during Eid, Deepavali, Chinese New Year, Christmas and pretty much everything else. Bazaar Ramadhan has no religious connotation to it but the way people (moi included) throng the food stalls every evening without fail despite the huge crowds and the congested traffic, you'd think they've forgotten that the whole idea of the month was to practice self-control! The crux is, if there's no demand, then there's not gonna be a market for it.
But seriously, who cares? I'm always single the last 22 Valentine's Days so I never have to worry much about spending excessively for just a day. If, and when, I finally find my other half, I'd expect that person to splurge on that day only if the person fails to prove the love on every other day even by the smallest of gestures. Then again, if that person is not showing the love on the other 364 days, there's no way I'd call that person my other half (I guess that's why I'm still single) because my future other half can expect me to do the simple gestures (saying 'I Love You', saying 'Thank You', occassional kisses, tiny box of chocolate, a single stem of the person's favourite flower, a small gift, calling just to ask 'How's your day?') occassionally and I might just do something a lil' special on 14 February to keep the flame burning. I guess it's easier said than done but we'll see.
On one spectrum, I question as to why people have to go to extreme length to prove their love on just one particular day when they should be doing it every single day by even the simplest of gestures. On another, I just couldn't help smiling when I see couples walk around in town holding hands while the other hands were holding flowers or boxes of chocolates. Yes, I'm a sucker for romantic moments so it gave me great pleasure when I saw men walking around on Valentine's Day hand-in-hand with their partners while holding heart-shaped, ruby red baloons.
Much has been said about the day with regards to Malaysian Muslim authority and while I believe blaming the day as the cause of increased immoral activities and associating it with Christianity as a very shortsighted, if not foolishly immature, opinion, I do acknolwledge that Muslims should know the lines they can or cannot cross and that crossing them would result in some serious repercussions if caught. I, however, don't see the need for the whole moral policing shiz.
Having said that, I was utterly surprised when two of my coursemates, both of whom are British and Christian, said they didn't like the idea of Valentine's Day themselves. Both quoted commercialisation and the 'just-on-one-day' argument as the reasons why.
Yes, the most common secular arguments about Valentine's Day is that it has been way too commercialised but in all honesty, what celebration has not been? Most shopping malls would start putting up Christmas decorations as early as October and I wouldn't be surprised if I were to start seeing Easter rabbits and eggs by next week! In Malaysia, commercialisation happens during Eid, Deepavali, Chinese New Year, Christmas and pretty much everything else. Bazaar Ramadhan has no religious connotation to it but the way people (moi included) throng the food stalls every evening without fail despite the huge crowds and the congested traffic, you'd think they've forgotten that the whole idea of the month was to practice self-control! The crux is, if there's no demand, then there's not gonna be a market for it.
But seriously, who cares? I'm always single the last 22 Valentine's Days so I never have to worry much about spending excessively for just a day. If, and when, I finally find my other half, I'd expect that person to splurge on that day only if the person fails to prove the love on every other day even by the smallest of gestures. Then again, if that person is not showing the love on the other 364 days, there's no way I'd call that person my other half (I guess that's why I'm still single) because my future other half can expect me to do the simple gestures (saying 'I Love You', saying 'Thank You', occassional kisses, tiny box of chocolate, a single stem of the person's favourite flower, a small gift, calling just to ask 'How's your day?') occassionally and I might just do something a lil' special on 14 February to keep the flame burning. I guess it's easier said than done but we'll see.
So yeah, there was nothing special happening for me on 14 February apart from the 'singles-only dinner' I had with my friends. I might not have found the love of my life yet but hey, my life is still full of love so I guess I'll forever be thankful for that.
Having said that, Love does make my world goes round. My attempts at Love have so far been pretty challenging for it's the kind of Love that dare not speak its name and that makes me a sucker for love songs and poems and stories and quotes (not so much for romantic comedies though).
When it comes to love songs, one that really defines it is Andrew Lloyd Webber's Love Never Dies for which I've blogged about here. Another song, I would say, is Haven't Met You Yet by Michael Buble' which I blogged about here. Of course, there are many other love songs that would ring true to my story but another one would be Kelly Clarkson's The Trouble with Love is:
And then there's Ceritera Cinta by Jaclyn Victor and Rio Febrian:
The list of love songs that I can relate to would go on and on. Just take a look at my iPod playlist and you'll see how 70% of the songs I have are related to 'Love'. Then again, most songs are about Love anyway. That said, the one song that really describes the kind of Love I'm looking for is Pink's Glitter in the Air:
Then there are love quotes - empowering one-liner that gives hope to those who are still looking right, left and centre. Either taken from a song or a movie or intentionally made up by the likes of Hallmarks, these quotes work by either cajoling the lonely to believe that they're not alone in the lonely department or to delude the broken-hearted that there's someone out there who'd be more than suitable to mend and look after their fragile hearts. Snooping around online, here are some of the quotes I found that made me roll my eyes but still feel hopeful at the same time:
The only people you need in your life are those who prove that they need you in theirs - I guess this makes sense.
We are given two hands to hold, two legs to walk, to eyes to see, and two ears to listen but why only one heart? Because the other was given to someone else for us to find - Roll eyes but still looking around.
No man is worth your tears and the one who is won’t make you cry - The irony of it!
Do you believe in love at first sight? Or should I walk by again - Or are you just blind?
Some people come into our lives and leave quickly, other stay awhile and leave footprints in our hearts forever - Footprints? Bruises, you mean?
If you love something set it free, if it comes back, it’s yours…if it doesn’t it never was - Yeah, right!
Looking for love doesn’t work…it tends to find you - Well, I'm here!
Sarcasm aside, the one quote on Love that I really like comes from 'Inception':
Mal: I'll tell you a riddle: you're waiting for a train, a train that will take you far away. You know where you hope this train will take you, but you don't know for sure. But it doesn't matter. How can it not matter to you where the train will take you?
Cobb: Because you'll be together.
Sweet, right?
Oh well. Enough with my crap!
0 comments:
Post a Comment