Gouache on paper, 2003
What does it mean to fall in love?
We see it in movies all the time–non-stop smiling, giggling and wiggling in one’s panties–and it’s tempting to dismiss the whole set up as a cliche, as overrated, if only it weren’t so fascinating! Anyone who’s ever fallen in love would agree–masarap umibig–and just like our obsession with photos to capture and store our kodak moments, wouldn’t it be nice to also have the sensation of falling in love available at our beck and call? Think instant pocket of sunshine, microwavable or downloadable just when we need a happy pill.
If only happiness could come in instant packs. The motions of being in love come and go, it’s just how things are, but maybe where we do have a hand is in keeping them coming.
Love is serious and demanding–it’s the older brother that needs to be responsible, that needs to make the difficult choices. Falling in love is the bunso, the cheeky one who gets away with being naughty and creating a mess. Just because.
Let’s remember how wonderful it is to fall–into the unknown, unfamiliar, unmanageable–and to do it front-faced, with courage and trust that what’s waiting for us at the bottom is, more than anything else, a possibility, an opening that could make for a great adventure.
Let us remember that to fall in love is to encounter and to surrender, not always to someone but maybe to something–an idea, a place, a job, a memory…and what joy in that surrender! In a strange way, it asks us to be humble, to accept willingly and excitedly that we are not alone, that we connect to something or someone outside of ourselves, and it’s okay. We’ll play and be merry and it’s okay. 🙂
And to fall in love AGAIN, wow, this assumes we have braved the journey before, including the part where it had to end, and still we stand unfazed, ready for the peaks and troughs of yet another journey, or maybe a collection of mini-journeys.
Wow. What a way to welcome the new year.
To falling in love again and again and again, friends! To 2010! 🙂
