Memories of their Chinese Valentine’s Day, translated…
My daughter mentioned on the dinner tables of how her boyfriend was able to book a reservation for a restaurant with the atmospheres, and they’re celebrating Chinese Valentine’s Day there together; she’d turned her head around, asked her dad, “Are you going to have a special night with mom this year?”, the answer, naturally, is a no.
The very first date I’d gone out on with my husband WAS on Chinese Valentine’s Day, we were wed, six years later, and it’s been thirty years to date. My husband who’s Chinese zodiac was the ox, and he’s a Taurus, has ALL the good qualities of the bull, he’s hard working, faithful, honest, loved and protected his home front, simply stated, he’s more than practical, what my daughter called “unromantic”.
Since we met, I’d never gotten a bouquet of flowers from him, he’d not written me a love letter, handed me a chocolate, nor had we ever shared a candlelight dinner, there wasn’t even a heartwarming proposal. The very first present he’d given to me was a cutting knife he brought home from abroad, as I took that shiny new knife from him, I didn’t know whether or laugh or cry! And, this present also became the most joked on on our family gatherings.
Set aside all those unromantic gestures, I saw how much my husband is giving to the family. He’d spent multiple years, working hard away in China, so we can live on easily, used the way he knew, to cherish his own children. Recalling how he’d held on to my daughter who’d cried through the nights as she was a child, so I could get some shuteye in, it’d moved me; the box of chocolate he bought for my daughter, he could trade that in for several bottles of good wine, and that’s made my daughter so fill with happiness, even now. When he’s in Taiwan, he would surely take and pick my daughter up from school himself. And, toward our son, he’d kept his love for him locked on the inside, but, when my son was taking his college entrance, he’d set aside the time to accompany him to take his examinations, as my son went into the service, on the day that the families were allowed to visit, before the gates were opened, he was there, already waiting.
And, during the two months’ hospitalization for my surgery, he’d dropped his work and stayed by my side. During that time, I deeply felt how much he cared for me, that, was the way he’d shown his love, not through a lips of sugar, bouquets of flowers or words of commends, he’s using his actions, to silently show his love for his family.
My daughter said, that since she was growing up, she’d seen the way her dad loved us, and, she’d started setting the standards for her mate selection to be just like her dad already. Tall, rich and handsome is NOT my daughter’s considerations, and, those sugar coated promises are overlooked, she’d wanted someone JUST like her dad, to be with, to depend on in marriage. I’m really glad, that my daughter who’s fallen in love did not let love go to her head, and am glad, that my husband has such a huge influence on his lover for a past life; even so, the two of us still hoped that just like previous years, my husband could make an exception, treat me out to a romantic dinner date this Chinese Valentine’s Day.
So, you’d married a practical man, it’s great, but, you’d needed those romantic gestures, so you can feel the love he has for you, well, you’re still more than lucky, to have a husband who’s kind, gentle to you, and, at the end of the day, all those colorful wrappings wouldn’t matter, it’s the heart that goes into loving you that counts.
