A Simple Valentine's

I arrived back in Kuching late Friday evening with my brother Raymond. Coming back from Grandpa's funeral, we went through a mixture of strange feelings of grief & sadness, and then followed by a reawakening of love & family bonding.

At the airport, Greg was already waiting for us in the car. And he wasn't alone. On the seat next to him was bunch of beautiful red roses. (^_^)

Out of exhaustion from the endless CNY binging & the funeral, we opted for a quieter Valentine's on Saturday. We went for a simple Japanese meal and then decided to drive around town to relive our dating days & to absorb the festive mood. Amazing Really! I would have thought that with the economic downturn, things would have been a bit more low key this year but lo & behold, Kuching people have got lots of money still & a lot of love. That night, I can safely say that almost every single little restaurant in town (including the worst of the worst) had tables packed to the roadside.

Despite the traffic jam, we drove into it & went around the Riverside where most of the action took place (starting from Padungan). There were people selling last minute flowers everywhere, from temporary stalls to mobile ones from the opened trunks of their kancils, parked up on the kerbs. It was seriously more festive than CNY. I wonder if this is a phenomena happening everywhere else in Malaysia or is it just in Kuching?

Strangely amusing. That got me thinking why do we need to show someone we love them on Valentine's Day only? Why so much effort on just that one particular day?

I guess going to Grandpa's funeral and seeing Grandma now makes me look at those roses and the man giving them with deeper appreciation and a better understanding of what love should be all about. It's really not about the flowers, or the romance or the show. Well it is nice to get flowers and no girls out there can dispute that no matter how practical they are. But many times this becomes our main concern and we forget the other even more important ones ~ being together.

Being together is not an easy business no doubt but it is such a great blessing from God. Someone who shares your belief, values, interests (hopefully) and the same God. Someone to walk with you in good and in bad times. Someone to check on you when you are sick. Someone to rub your back and feet when you are tired. Someone who make sure that the petrol tank is filled up before you get to the car. Someone to wake you up when you fall asleep on the sofa while watching tv. Someone to take your wrath when you are not happy with everything in this world. Someone to carry all your shopping home but would rather sit inside MPH while you are at it and muster all effort not to cringe at the credit card bills later.

Well that someone will also probaby get on your nerves and annoy you so badly when he forget the items on your grocery list, make a wrong road turn at the same place all the time, tell you that you need to lose some weight (because you persistently tell him to speak the truth) or remind you not to take that piece of wing because you had been complaining about your weight, thinks his mum's cooking is slightly better and not celebrate Valentine's with you because you (not so wholeheartedly) tell him not to bother next year. Don't we all need reminders that certain things are really not so important.

Grandpa and Grandma had 60 over years together. To be honest, not many of us will enjoy that. So let us enjoy being together (plus the flower bit and romantic dinners, please) and Thank God for it.