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Monday, February 14, 2011

The Straight Path, Womankind, the Coke Bottle, Valentine's Day and Love


The path is straight.

But the journey is full of bends and turns.

For the journey to God is like getting to know a woman.

It is a way of corners, curves and turnings.

God bless Sarah mother of Isaac!

God bless Hajar mother of Ismail!

God bless Mary mother of Jesus!

God bless Aminah mother of Muhammad!

God bless all our mothers, sisters and daughters!

Oh women, you are mysterious and lovely.

And in your hands you hold our hearts captive and besotted!

When our grandfather Adam was asleep, how by God was Eve created?!

Through you, may our willful self and ego be cheated!

Grace in abundance, creation walking in munificence with a halo that makes heavenly lamps flicker!

An arrow speeding to my heart from a Cherubim's quiver.

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VALENTINE'S DAY. There is a small ruckus in my country about Valentine's day. It is not a big ruckus, because we Malays tend to avoid being busybodies. But there is of course a noisy minority representing the political Islam activists. They are harrumphing and agonising in the media about how Valentine's Day promotes adultery and is a Christian event. I am glad the Christians woke up and in the Star newspaper reported that "The Christian Federation of Malaysia has stressed that Valentine’s Day is a secular observance which Roman Catholics and Protestants do not commemorate as a religious festival. Its chairman Bishop Ng Moon Hing said Christians in Malaysia were hurt by statements made which linked Valentine’s Day to sins and Christianity."
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Rightfully, the main argument if you desire, is that Valentine's Day is a rather shallow and mega-commercialised social event that makes florists and confectioners happy. I do not think that any kid even know of the historical / mythical origin about St. Valentine and his day.
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THE RELIGION OF LOVE. The fact of the matter is that all people concerned with the health of their religion is utterly convinced that the commercialisation of religious festivities is a bad trend. Valentine's Day (assuming it is one), is just one of many examples of galloping commercialisation of faith. And no religion has escaped this appalling consumerism virus. I say this is true even if your religion is the faith of Love.
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COKE. The Coca-Cola bottle picture is of course a visual reference to the famous bottle's shape which is often commented as depicting the female form. It is drawn by this rather talented artist Mark T. Woodland (Click Here).
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But I do not wish to be a complete party-pooper, so if you are celebrating with your love today, Happy Valentine's Day, sunshine. But alas, Love gives us no rest - and He is celebrated every day, with every breath that we inhale and exhale. Ya Huuuu!

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Pax Taufiqa

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