Musings and Reflections

Of Coca-cola and Water

Now, back in the era of Friendster, I have written a piece of same title. It was a reflection of a conversation that I once had with my cousin when we were both teenagers. I recalled this piece and conversation again this afternoon. Now, I could lament the lost of the hundreds of blogs I have written in Friendster or I can write again my musings and reflections. Why this particular piece? Well...
Back when we were teenagers, my cousins and I sometimes have philosophical discussions about life and other things. In between playing cards ( our families' favourite pastime, second only to eating ), swimming and talking loudly, we have our quiet talks. There were three of us of almost the same age and were at the cusp of adulthood then. Like ordinary teenagers, we talk about the angst of growing up, the excitement of young love and future dreams. Mae, Jay ( Jikoy to us cousins hehehe- peace Jay!) and I used to hang out until the wee hours especially when we are over at Mae's family beach house.
At one time, Jay and I came to talking about love. ( Mae must have fallen asleep by this time). We were both single at that time. We decided to discuss what love is. Jay described love to be like Coca-cola. It is something quite exciting and refreshing but you won't thirst for it unless you have tasted it. ( It is pretty obvious here that my cousin, Jay, has not fallen in love yet 🤪). I countered that Love is more like water as it is essential for living. I said that it may be that we do not know of its name or its existence but we would naturally thirst for it. Love, for me, is essential for living.( pretty obvious, I was already a hopeless romantic even then). At that time, Jay and I did not come to an agreement on our definition of love. We agreed to disagree.
So fast forward the years and here I am sitting in my own flat on my lonesome ( so Bridget-Jonesy or Carrie- Bradshawy scene) and still reflecting about love. I have been on my own for a while now and thrived well. I enjoy my solitude, my work and socialisation with friends. So the question that I now pose; is love more of Coca-cola or water given my life experience? The cynical sarcastic me would have answered now that of course it is more of Coca-cola as I have after all gotten on with life without romantic love. But that would not be the real me answering the question. My answer then is still my answer now. Love is like water, It is essential to life. Love, afterall, does not only come in romantic form. Love can be experienced from parents, siblings and friends. There is, afterall, more than one form of love. A person can love another without demanding love in return the way the water nourishes the body without gaining from it. True love simply is. So have I found the fountain that has my name etched on it? Well, I love because love simply is.
I have chosen to rewrite this piece because it is about my favourite topic and it makes me think of the carefree time of being a teenager surrounded by family and laughter. Well that is my musing for now 😊