of love

I had a dream last night. I dreamt that I woke up, and I didn't receive your morning message which you usually sent me. I started to wonder what's wrong, and I got into a panic attack. And then I woke up, sweating and panting. I ran to my phone and checked it. You still haven't messaged me. I started to wonder what's wrong, and I got into a panic attack. And then I woke up, sweating and panting. I ran to my phone and checked it. You still haven't messaged me. I started to wonder what's wrong, and I got into a panic attack.
Every muscle in me ached as I reached forward, attempting to stab the numbers on my keypad to write the usual message, "40568309681". I stopped.
And then I really woke up. You were never going to message me again.

Messages allow the people who care for you to tell you they care, so you know that people who message you do care.
Messages are also the easy way to break up with a person without having to do it face to face.

In the olden days, boys take so much energy just running/cycling to the other side of the village that they are too tired to woo other girls. So they just decide on the prettiest one they find and stick with it. Break-ups were also taboo because it would just mean that either you were a flirt or you are just plain weird that no one wants to be with you.

Today, break-ups are so common that, I quote an acquaintance, "We are no longer surprised when couples break up. We are more surprised when couples actually stay together." When we have gossip sessions with friends, we express more interest in "Wow they are still together???" than "Oh another break up. No surprise. They didn't seem happy." Is it because deep down inside, we all wish to be that couple who stuck together and we want to know how they did it? Or that we are just jealous of that couple such that we are secretly happy when we hear they broke up so we know that there are two more single and lonely souls like us out there? Is that a validation to ourselves that there is no longer such a thing as true love other than the one God gives us? Do we still believe in human love?

I suppose it doesn't help that society is evolving into one with a shorter attention span and the ability to multitask such that we have lost the will to concentrate on one thing at one time (I mean seriously, while you read my blog, if this is the only open window/tab on your comp/laptop, no other internet windows/tabs or msn conversations with members of the opposite sex, you truly deserve my utmost respect). With the advancement of modern communications and the ease of meeting new people (be it online or through a friend), it is no wonder we are always on the lookout for someone whom we may potentially date. Somehow, staying attached to one person seems so much more difficult than finding a new one out there. Staying with one person requires a lot of effort, time and getting to know each other better.

Yet, nobody said that just because break-ups are more frequent and it is easier to meet new people, break-ups are easier to handle. Nobody knows when you cry at night about the boy you used to love because you still have to go to work like usual every single day pretending that you are perfectly fine, you still have to hand in your memos to your partner by the end of the day. Who cares if you are having a hard time?

Nobody wants to cry. And nobody wants to be alone. Neither do I. But I do not want to contribute to this rotten society where "I love you" no longer means a thing and couples just break up whenever they are in an unhappy situation. I want to stay with one person, expend my effort and time in getting to know him better, and still love and accept him even as I learn more about him every single day. I want to remember all the happy times we spend together and all the sad times which make the happy times even happier. I want to have even more happy times with him.

I still believe in love.

Will you all care to join me in making our society a more loving one?