Over the years, the routine of celebrating the much-hyped and commercialised event with dinners and presents has somewhat lost its lustre and I no longer care very much about it.
Perhaps I'm just too jaded and overwhelmed by my multiple roles (mum, wife, daughter, DIL, educator, work slave etc) to be enthusiastic with a day's celebration of love. And it's hard to be in a romantic mood when 4/5 of my waking moments is spent worrying about whether the kids have finished their homework, what the girls want to eat for breakfast, how I can race against time to complete my marking and other administrative work, what I can do to help out since the hub's business is gradually slowing down because of the financial crisis, what I haven't done which I'm supposed to etc.
and the other 1/5 of my time spent in trying to keep track of the growing list of issues to worry about and keeping my sanity afloat.
Simply put, I'm old. And my priorities in life have changed.
Honestly, the thought of buying a gift or having a special meal with the hub didn't even cross my mind this year! And I'm ashamed of that too.
I'd taken leave on Friday for a Refresher Course to familiarise myself with driving again and the hub suggested we meet for lunch at his office after that. We also had to take Wei to the doctor's as she was suffering from a severe case of nappy rash and the diaper cream we've been using didn't seem to work.
On my way to Chinatown (where he works), I got off at Dhoby Ghaut station along the North East line to stop by Plaza Singapura's Dorothy Perkins. I had a $10 voucher to use by Sunday and bought a belt (because my jeans keeps falling off and unlike the fashionable youths, I don't intend to show my coloured knickers to the rest of the world).
But that detour cost me about 40 minutes and the hub was non-too-pleased because I had ruined his plan: he wanted to take me to the China Square Central Sushi Tei outlet for a leisurely lunch before bringing Wei to the doctor's but we were running on a tight schedule because I'd taken too long to reach town. :(We still managed to have a quick lunch at Sushi Tei though. The hub drove back to Serangoon Gardens (there's an outlet there) because it was closer to our home and we could grab Wei quickly after our meal before the clinic closed at 4pm.
The hub wanted me to try the Hokkaido Chirashi Don - they were having a Hokkaido Promotion at Sushi Tei - and the dish consists of Sake (salmon), Uni (sea urchin), Ikura (salmon roe), Nama Hotate (Japanese scallop) and rice.
What can I say? It was a mmm-mmmmmmmmm-licious Valentine's Day treat.
The hub *really* knows me well.
On our way home, the hub and I reminisced over our courtship days and how we'd try to outdo each other in the gift-giving department and Valentine dinners. Back then, everything seemed like a big deal and oh-so-important!
So much has changed in 10 years. I suppose this is just part and parcel of the circle of life. But I must count my blessings and thank my lucky stars for marrying someone who may not be perfect, but who's perfect where it matters most: loving me for who I am and knowing that I'm not perfect either.
1 comment:
aww thats so sweet!
yes i guess as we grow our priorities in life change.
New things to worry about and all the other issues that seem to be a
"Big deal" then become insignificant.
well im not totally striking off V day as smth insignificant as you grow older, well its just not as hyped. its still sweet to have a surprise dinner or smth planned btwn hubby and wife. coz rmbr. You married him not your kids.
Your kids will grow up and marry into other families and all you will have would be you hubby at the end of the day. its quite sad as often we see many parents neglect each other for their children. not rmbring the actual person they married. so at times we need to relook our lives and question, are our priorities right? or are the well balanced?
anyways enuf of the heavy talk. hope mei mei is better :)
hope to meet up soon.
Much love
xoxo,
Eddee Ignatius peh
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