14.01.02

the past week or two, i read with distaste, the debate of 'prawn politics'.

some guy wrote in to the papers, saying how singaporean women are too career-minded, not gentle and feminine enough. unlike those from china, malaysia, and vietnam.. that they no longer 'peel prawns' for their men.

some feminist wrote back, vehemently stating that men in singapore can't expect to have it all - have women to stay home AND go out work to help with the high family expenses. and why can't they 'peel their own prawns'?

that sparked off a whole chain of letters, pink versus blue.

i like the guy who said it should be 'shelling prawns', not 'peeling prawns' - pardon the Singlish. hah!

but HELP! it's an endless discussion!

my friend, adam, sent this to me more than two years ago,

and we both agreed that , theoretically, there's no better way to sum it all up.

for my future better half...

<But let there be spaces in your togetherness,

And let the winds of the heaven dance between you.

Love one another, but make not a bond of love:

Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.

Fill each other's cup but drink not from one cup

Give one another of your bread but eat not from the same loaf

Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one of you be alone,

Even as the strings of the lute are alone though they quiver with the same music

Give your hearts, but not into each other's keeping.

For only the hand of Life can contain your hearts.

And stand together yet not too near together:

For the pillars of the temple stand apart,

And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other's shadow>

The Prophet on Marriage. Kahlil Gibran. 1883 - 1931

Kahlil Gibran was born in Lebanon and lived in America the last 20 years of his life. A philosopher, poet and artist, one of his most famous works is The Prophet that contains 28 chapters of 'mysteries of life'. Some I have tried reading. Requires deep concentration. :)