There’s this scene in the film THE HOURS, where Mrs. Dalloway (as played by the redoubtable Meryl Streep) lies on her bed with her daughter by her side, after a day of cleaning up the apartment for a party later in the evening, exhausted in every possible way, and she turns to her daughter and she shares a story about her youth, about what might have been her first love, about finding something so precious and elusive:
I remember one morning getting up at dawn, there was such a sense of possibility. You know, that feeling? And I remember thinking to myself this is the beginning of happiness. This is where it starts. And of course there will always be more. It never occurred to me it wasn’t the beginning. It was happiness. It was the moment. Right then.
And I turn to look at you, and we are having dinner with two very good friends (one of whom was there to babysit me when we were first separated, barely a week after we started dating, when you had to fly to Australia, and he made sure that I was never sad though I missed you every day till I saw your face again at the arrivals hall; the other is a surprise and a revelation – a legend in her own time – whom I would have never imagined I would encounter much less befriend, and she reminds us what it is like to be joyful, honest, true and of the importance of being able to laugh at ourselves as much as we do with each other) and the jokes fly faster than supermen or speeding bullets (and none of you notice that everyone – the other patrons, the waitresses, even the sushi chef – is staring at us, curious how four people could create such a din as to fill the whole room with glee and guffaws, and I don’t let on, for I know the secret of our mirth and I understand why they would love to join if they could and partake in something so hearty and so good), but for a moment, this moment, I forget the charming conversation and the sparkling wit and I am only looking at you. At you, at you.
I am so in love with you; I’ve never been more. I love you, in this moment, and should it pass, then we would mourn it and move on, and if it doesn’t, then may we grow together, older and wiser, every year doubling in our knowledge of each other, and deeper may the wrinkles on our faces be, every line a witness, a memory.
Which shall pass, we won’t know. We can’t.
But this I know. Right now. This is the moment. This is happiness.
.
.
Copyright © 2011 Kenny Mah Ying Fye. Image from the film The Hours.
Kenny Mah believes in the good in people. He has been blogging for over ten years. No, his hands aren't tired. Yet.
Yes happiness is right now. Dwell not in past or future but enjoy the moment
@rokh: And how are you enjoying your moments since you’re in the midst of your 100-day backpacking adventure, dear? (A little bird tells me you’re somewhere in Mongolia now…)
Aawww…this is so sweet, so touching! And i think i know who those 2 good friends are *wink* :D
@Pureglutton: They are the best though, aren’t they? We are so blessed to be surrounded by great friends. Yay.
Deeply in love are they
no burden or despair,
For they are lovers forever
I can only pray for them.
@jemima: That’s a really sweet poem, dear. Thank you. *HUGS*
I just had this vision of you and I walking and talking through a park… and in a lull of conversation, letting the silence happen.
Strange, but it seemed so real all of a sudden after I read this.
Thank you for tagging me directly. This is a well-timed post for my head space.
@Brienne: For some reason I thought of you and few other close friends after I wrote this. You guys always remind me to seize the moment, as it were.
That sounds like a nice walk in the park with you, it really does.
Well, you’re certainly never short of love, you lucky bastard. Count your blessings. Love ya.
@Lyrical Lemongrass: What’s really lucky is getting to know you, O Queen of Our Hearts… Love ya too. *squashy-hug*
Is that Claire Danes? In the Hours? Why do I not remember seeing her in it at all?! :-O May the shared happiness found continue until you’re both old and grey, filling the sushi bar with harmonious cackles. Hugggs!
@minchow: Indeed it is Ms. Danes. She had a supporting role in the Mrs. Dalloway segments, and held up her own quite well against Ms. Streep, I must say.
Old and grey? Old, maybe. Grey, never! There are tons of hair dye products after all… We could try purple like Psylocke or something… *sniggers*
aiyo, so lovey-dovey again. y’know, for an emergency brunch this morning, i actually shared four cupcakes and two slices of cake (seriously), but even that wasn’t as sugary-sweet as this entry! dunno what to say liao.
*in my mind’s ear, i hear ronan keating singing ‘when you say nothing at all.’ followed by the sound of crickets*
@Sean: You ate BREAKFAST? I thought nothing passes your lips till after six p.m. most days. Whoever induced you to break your golden rule (Eat Drink KL-style lah, of course)?
P.S. Why crickets?
i am happy!
@keropokman: Oh ho ho, you sure are, Mr. Just-Got-Married. Congrats again to you and Kopikosonggirl (a.k.a. Mrs. Keropokman)! *HUGS*
So jiwang! *giggle*
@Paul: The jiwang-est! Hehe.
why u so lomantik one?
@Jun: I blame the water. *sniggers*
forced to have brekkie, cos the cafe i wanted to check out opens at 830am and closes at 6pm. such inconsiderate hours hor. no vampire would ever be able to visit…
p.s. because cockroaches make no noise? :D
@Sean: I don’t think that vampires are their targeted clientele…
P.S. Oh why did I even ask…
Awwwwwwwwwwwww :) :)
What a luvvery lomantik post. It is definitely helping rejuvenate me through this dreary 6 hour transit.
@J the chocoholic: Have a safe flight home, dear – and see you soon!
so simple yet so hard. to live in the moment. we don’t need much to be happy. it’s just about the essentials. everything else is a distraction, i think. (like fancy clothes, tv ect)
you are lucky to be able to appreciate a good moment when you see one! :)
@luuworld: You’re a role model where simplifying and decluttering your life is concerned, mate. It was a brave decision to cut down to four working days per week. Makes me wonder how I can better make use of my “moments”, i.e. my time.
Hello my darling friend! Great post and perfect sentiment xxxx
@Msiagirl: Devil and I were just chatting about you the other day – miss you muchly! *HUGS*
but vampires have the power to bring sexy back to any establishment :D
p.s. kuriosity killed the kenny? :P
@Sean: I don’t find innocent folks being sucked dry of their lifeblood remotely sexy, mate… do you? Eeks.
P.S. Nope. Kenny will expire one day, surely, but preferably from old age, and in bed, being smothered by young, nubile virgins. Jai-ho!
but think of brad and tom in interview with the vampire! or half the cast of true blood! or robert pattinson in twilight! they can, in your own words, suck me dry any night. ahem. :D
p.s. or being smothered by young, nubile vampires? :P
@Sean: Twilight? Surely you mean “Sparkly-lights”? How very fey. Those would probably suck their victims with a straw or something. Bleh.
P.S. Smothered or skewered with pairs of bloodthirsty fangs?
accepting the current moment. ah, i like the sound of that. ;)
@daphne: It’s a good moment, and it’s a good sound, innit? *winks*
yeah, i think sometimes we think too much and look elsewhere that we never realised that happiness is just right here with us at this moment.
@lena: So true, that. So very, very true.
i agree with Sean. so sickly sweet.. like chalk scratching sound on the blackboard all. painful! hahaha:P
@ciki: Oh you know me. I try my best to live up to my reputation. *chuckles*