Valentines Day they call it.
If you ask, it's simply a day for Restaurateurs, Hoteliers, Goldsmiths, Florists and those in the chocolate industries to make quick bucks.
No, I'm not against Valentines day but I'm not a 'Valentines' person either.
What is the definition of Valentines Day, anyways? A long time ago when I was a teen, it used to be mainly for couples and lovers. But these days come the 14th February, everyone is everyone's Valentine... Kids get gifts from their parents, while nephews and nieces give presents to their aunties and uncles or vice versa, sending flowers over to the neighbour across the road.. ..We have Christmas for that! And birthdays too. Come to think of it, 'giving' and 'loving' can be done anytime. So in actual fact, the true meaning and purpose of Valentines is no longer what it's supposed to be. If it stands for romance, then it simply does not make sense to get kids, parents, neighbors, aunts, uncles, etc involved. Or are we so lost that we didn't realize this? So it goes back to square one - it IS a day for certain parties to hit double $$ for everything they sell.
On Facebook, I've come across peculiar posts and comments in response to the Fatwa of banning Muslims from celebrating this day. You know what the funny part is? The ones who are barking about it are a bunch, who are NOT Muslims. The empty vessel at work again. Clearly they have no knowledge on why it's being banned. They think that the 2% info that they have, makes them an Einstein on the topic. If there are any logic to what these dimwits have been commenting on, then I must be:
- Bodoh (for my foreign friends and followers, that means stupid)
- A person who doesn't know what love is (that's funny considering the fact that I've made 2 babies in 2 years straight, starting from the first year I got married)
- I'm not eligible to celebrate other 'English' events
- I should be stoned
- I should live in caves and jungles
- I don't have a life
Need I continue? So, to everyone out there who do not partake in VD, according to some, you're guilty of the above. Do some people realize when they talk crap? Don't they have anyone around to nudge them a little and say "Hey, that sounds silly and uncalled for...."
I quote Iliya Ismail "..A classic case of internet warriors' - in the likes of Moni, Allan Miller, Jojo McCabe and the rest of them. Hadi Lim - my East Malaysian brother, if you're reading this, you'll know who those 3 names refer to, right? Why are some people only brave to write damaging things on the internet, in the safety of being behind the computer? Or better yet, are people that lonely as to have all the time in the world looking up for faults of others which does NOT concern them one little bit. Actually, in all honesty, I feel sorry for these kinds. They have so much free time on their hands, but are not putting it to good use. I wouldn't like to be in their shoes, thank you very much! Because FREE TIME spells BOREDOM... In this case, it's very obvious.
The first year I met Sunny, he gave me a beautiful heart-shaped crystal pendant for Valentines Day. Was I impressed by that gesture? Sure thing - I was only 19 years old and receiving a gift from your new boyfriend is wonderful. The following year, I told him that I didn't want any presents for Valentines. Why? Because throughout the year he was always buying me gifts. It wasn't necessarily expensive ones, but the gestures were priceless. 21 years after we've met, he still does it. Most of the time there are fresh flowers in my bedroom, bought by my darling. Even when we go to the market, no matter what month of the year it is, I always get a single white rose. That's not all. Very frequently on the way home from shooting assignments, Sunny gives me a call, telling me to get dressed because he wanna take me somewhere 'nice'. Sometimes it's with the kids and other times, it's just us. Why would I be hard-up for that 1 day in a year, when I get it all year long?
And as I mentioned in my previous post, the words "I Love You" is more like the official 'theme' in our household where it's heard many times a day. Even my son tells his Daddy that ever so often. In fact, it's so contagious that last year when Nia went back to Indonesia for 2 weeks, our phone conversation ended with her saying "I love you, Ibu". I was taken aback.
So how will I be spending my evening today? I don't mean no disrespect when I say that while many people are out spending $$ to impress their girlfriends or as a duty to their wives, (some of my guy friends told me that it's a standing order otherwise the spouse will merajuk) the 4 of us will be attending a dinner function and shooting concurrently at one of my favourite Politician's home - so, I'll get a lavish dinner plus the big bucks for the photo shoot. I stand to gain.
It's a blessing that I don't have to squeeze in at the buffet counter at hotels, or be served pre-cooked steaks at certain restaurants because of this Valentines' crowd.
But nevertheless, Happy Valentines Day!
