What Happens When One Forgets?

 Something that struck a chord in me...

One thing, though, that stuck out as I watched last night was this:

Near the end, Duke is looking at the notebook he's been reading from the whole time. He flips to the front, and this dedication is written there:

"Read this to me, and I'll come back to you."

That line absolutely cuts me every time.

This story of love that is strong, won't be denied, and can't be broken is a great image of the commitment we make when we take our vows in front of friends and family at the church. Too often, today, when things get tough, people cut and run, leaving a wake of broken hearts and homes behind them. Not too many are willing to stick with it, no matter the cost.

The past 11 years with my wife have been incredible.
Have they been easy? Not always.
Have they been fun? Quite often, but not always.
Have we fought? Yes.
Have we made up? Yes.

As we all know, adversity can either make us stronger, or knock us down...and relationships willing to work through the hard times will be worth the effort.

Take some time, just with your spouse, and talk about "your story", the good and the bad, how it's tested you, and how it's made you stronger. It's worth it!

Now, read that line again:

"Read this to me, and I'll come back to you."

*Excerpt taken from here

Walking Down Memory Lane

Back in Penang, I used to know someone from choir. He left quite a big impression on me. So much that some of how I view life is in part because of him. And I still remember certain things involving him as if they had just happened yesterday.

I remember that he had big hands; not fleshy big, but strong big, with long fingers. I remember because I have always had a thing for hands; they simply fascinate me. And he was always wearing this ring on his pinkie finger.

One day we were just sitting around backstage, chit chatting about random stuff, when suddenly he took off the ring and showed it to me. He told me that the ring belonged to his grandmother and that one day he will give that ring to his wife. It was a band with some designs on it. I wasn't sure what metal it was made of, but it looked antique. I didn't know what to say except "Oooo..." and "Ahhh...." while looking at the ring. I was just 16 at the time and I thought that it was really sweet and romantic of him.

He was also the first person I knew who owned an SLR camera, back when SLRs weren't really popular and DSLRs hadn't even caught on yet. He once took a picture when we were in Australia. I think it was the first picture ever taken of me using an SLR camera.

It was autumn then. But I remember that it wasn't that cold that day. I was sitting on a bench in the park and this little girl who was the daughter of one of the choir members was sitting on my lap. I was kinda babysitting for a while. We were enjoying ourselves, laughing and telling our little secrets. The sun was shining through the trees and there were not many people around. I didn't even notice that he was nearby with his camera. He quietly snapped a picture of us.

Later when we came back to Malaysia, we were chatting online and he sent me that picture. I still remember it to this day. It showed two girls with the sun softly shining on them, just enjoying themselves, oblivious to the world around. I had my arms around Stephanie (that was also the little girl's name) and we were smiling so happily. To me, it was beautiful (and I'm not just saying that coz I'm in it...).

When he sent me that picture, he said that it was one of his favourite. It was mine too.

But I have no idea where that picture went. It has been lost over the years. I wish that I had kept better care of it.

It's a reminder that once, not long ago, life was simple and carefree...

It's not about the price tag...

You know the guy who proposed to his girlfriend via a billboard on the LDP? The one with the message "Kelly Tan E Li, Will You Marry Me?" and a picture of him holding a ring?

Ahhh....Romance.....

What touched me the most wasn't the fact that he spent thousands and thousands of dollars on the proposal, but the fact that this guy isn't ashamed to want everyone, including strangers, to know that he loves her and wants to spend the rest of his life with her. Doesn't that just make you wanna melt into a puddle of mush with a silly grin on your face? I think I can sorta imagine how his girlfriend was feeling when she saw the billboard... :)

Sometimes it's not about practicality, but romantic whimsicality....

Pictures of You

Moonflower reminds me of Australia,
Australia reminds me of you,
The park, where you secretly took my picture,
That long walk back to the apartment,
That night on the balcony...

One was born too soon,
The other, too late...
It wouldn't have worked out,
The difference was probably too great,
So now all I have is moonflower,
To trigger memories of you...

Are you or aren't you?

You know, I've noticed that foreign guys (FG) are more aggressive when they are chasing after a girl. He'll often call and sms her, and ask her out especially on weekends. He gets her little things and say "Just saw that and thought about you...". Whenever he's going out to a party or gonna hang out with friends, he thinks "Hmm, I wonder if she'll be interested in joining?" and proceeds to ask her along, and won't take no for an answer, even if it means he'll have to drive to the other end of the state just to pick her up.

For her birthday or Valentine's Day, he does something sweet and special for her to make it a memorable day. He gives her little compliments like "You look really nice today" to brighten up her day. He'll sneak out of class to accompany her when she's sitting all by herself.

With FGs, you can almost always tell when he likes you. On the other hand, local guys (LG) chase after a girl in such a lowkey way that sometimes the girl is left wondering "Is he into me? Or is he just treating me like a friend? Is he interested in taking our friendship further?". Furtive looks are the most lowkey tactic. I mean, it's okay if a girl does it, but come on guys, have some balls and just approach her la...(I'm old fashioned that way; guys should approach the girl first)

LG: *furtive look* OMG she's looking here!!! *look away*
Girl: Was he just looking at me??? OMG, does he like me *swoon*??? Hmm, but it was just a look, maybe I'm thinking too much.

And if LG doesn't ever approach her, this will probably go on till either
a) the girl losses interest in LG
b) they graduate and never see one another again OR
c) she gets herself another boyfriend *knife through LG's heart*

Either way, LG doesn't get the girl.

I'm not trying to say that all LGs are like that (some can be really sweet and romantic too), or that FGs are better than LGs...but it would be nice if more LGs were more straight forward when they are going after a girl. Seriously, girls would really appreciate it....I know I would.