Steph's Friend

Sunday, July 20, 2008

Lasting Love

I've been in Berkeley for almost a month and there's one thing I saw which impressed me.

The couples here are very loving...and when I say "couples", I am referring to the senior ones (those in their 60s or 70s) and not the young ones who are still studying.

There was once I was walking and I saw this senior couple holding hands. They may walk in a pace that's 1/10th of that in Singapore but behind those hands held together tells a lifetime of love.

I could see that the man was having a difficult time walking. However the lady would just hold his hands and guide him as he walked. Talk about love.

Maybe when they were young they used to date, quarrel, laugh...etc. However, as age caught up with them, there's something that never changed...and that is the love between the both of them. Their body may fail and their youth disappear but I guess what makes them a "couple" still is the love they share.

I don't see such things in Singapore though. Most of the time, I see senior citizens picking up cans from the bin near where I stay (I stay in a HDB flat). Maybe they don't have the time to spend time together in their old age. Maybe they think that it's pointless to spend time together if they can't even afford their next meal. Maybe...it's some other reason.

With the divorce rates increasing in Singapore, it's definitely a worrying trend. I mean when a man and a woman decides to go into marriage, they have a vow to keep (it is the "marriage vow"). I guess statistics on divorce somehow indicates the attitude society has towards marriage. I don't know if I would ever get to see old couples holding hands while walking in Singapore but it's sad if there aren't any.

Maybe the divorce rates are up simply because people tend to separate over fights and quarrels. Maybe they realized that he/she isn't the man/woman they think he/she is. No one is perfect. Everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses. Personally I believe that once an individual enters into marriage, there isn't a "U-turn" anymore. What's in front is a one-way street all the way on the road of life with the other special someone. So I guess it's pretty important to understand the person first before talking about commitment.

I believe that the old couple I talked about earlier also had their own fair share of fights and quarrels, but what kept them as a couple still was their commitment...
Man: Can you please help hold my hand?
Woman: What?

It seems that the lady has a hard time hearing.

Man: I said CAN YOU PLEASE HOLD MY HAND.
Woman: Arh...okay.

The lady holds his hand.

Man: THANK YOU.
Woman: Are you shouting at me?
Man: YES I AM...
Woman: Well it's rude to shout you know...
Man: I KNOW. SORRY 'BOUT THAT.
Woman: Yeah it's okay. I love you dear.
Man: I LOVE YOU TOO!
This is what I guess love is.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8
4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;
5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;
6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;
7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never fails.
Time: 9.05am, 20th July 08 (Sunday)

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