I confess that I am not a ‘love’ writer but this is the month where Hallmark is raking in lots of moolahs, restaurants have their heyday and flower vendors are feeling Christmassy!
But how do you define love? Shakespeare has the answer– if you don’t show your love, you do not love at all. I believe everyday should be like Valentines day. You always show that you love your husband or wife, children, friends, the lovable and yes- even the unlovable. To me, love is finding happiness in simple things. While I like many love songs, I think Adam Sandler’s Growing Old with You captures what love should be everyday- not something accompanied by fireworks- but simple and profound. Here is the lyrics (hope you like it as much as I do).
[Billy Idol (Speaking):] Good afternoon everyone.
We’re flying at 26, 000 feet, moving
Up to thirty thousand feet, and then we’ve got clear skies
All the way to Las Vegas, and right now we’re bringing you some in-flight
Entertainment. One of our first-class passengers would like to sing you a song
Inspired by one of our coach passengers, and since we let our first-class
Passengers do pretty much whatever they want, here he is.
[Robbie Hart (Singing):]
I wanna make you smile whenever you’re sad
Carry you around when your arthritis is bad
Oh all I wanna do is grow old with you
I’ll get your medicine when your tummy aches
Build you a fire if the furnace breaks
Oh it could be so nice, growing old with you
I’ll miss you
Kiss you
Give you my coat when you are cold
Need you
Feed you
Even let ya hold the remote control
So let me do the dishes in our kitchen sink
Put you to bed when you’ve had too much to drink
I could be the man who grows old with you
I wanna grow old with you
********
I appreciate old couples who still hold hands and still have ‘that’ twinkle in their eyes. To me- that should be love- one that never tires and wanes. One time, my sister and I ate at one of the restaurant in our hometown. Just beside our table was a couple who were in their late 60s or early 70s. While waiting for their order, they were animatedly talking with each. When their food arrived, the old man gave a short prayer and while they were about to eat, the wife asked the man, “”Di, nangadyi na ta?” (Daddy, have we said our prayers?). The old man gently replied that yes, they just did that a few seconds ago. The old lady laughed and they started eating their food.
My sister and I were amused and we pretended not to eavesdrop and later, when they stood up, the husband took his wife by the hand and they went out of the restaurant holding hands. My sister and I asked each other, how many old couples are like that? We were quiet for a moment. I thought, only a few…
Photo Credit: Julia
