I had a great time hanging out with my grandma when she came to visit me. We had so much fun watching “All Things Japanese” wind orchestra at Esplanade. It was a mesmerising performance indeed!

I love to ask her about her past and her family. My all-time favourite story has always been how her parents met and fell in love.

My great grandma was a daughter of a China ambassador in Indonesia. My great grandpa on the other hand, was a painter and a violinist. My g.grandma grew up in a strict and rich family and hence, was not able to marry just anyone on the street.

My g.grandpa was hired to teach her painting at her house. And, they fell in love.

I would too, if a guy who can paint and play violin so well, for me! (Just kidding. I said…would) Furthermore, my g.grandpa was very GOODLOOKING!!

Anyway, her parents objected their relationship. Being the oriental Romeo and Juliet, my g.grandma sacrificed the rich and famous lifestyle. She ran away from home to be with my g.grandpa.

They had no money and were constantly running from one country to another. (world war 2). My grandma and the other siblings were born in different countries ranging from Singapore, Shanghai and Malaysia.

You know, story like this seldom has a good ending. My grandpa died of sickness during the World War 2. He didn’t get the medication attention on time. Hence, my g.grandma had to raise 5 children by herself.

What a drama!

My mother always wished that my g.grandpa passed down his violin for me. But you know, who cares about the violin when you were busy running for your life?

Suddenly, it reminded me that my mother once beamingly told me how well my father played harmonica. Mm…I see the connection..

For generations, the art, music and love have co-existed in my family. I have yet to “study” this relation and connection in my generation though. But I do, always find myself connect with people who love art and music.

Michael Newberry on Art, Inspiration, Love said:”…but almost every single person who had fallen in love with an artwork, with only one or two exceptions out of about thirty people, had felt love for a human being. And the opposite was also true: the people who had felt no love for any kind of artwork — and I don’t mean just painting; I mean, they hadn’t fallen in love with a piece of music, or writing, or anything else — they hadn’t felt a loving connection with another human being either.”

Mmm…Personally, I think the LOVE here is a little…too vague. A person who doesn’t love art doesn’t mean he/she doesn’t know how to love. And again, the worldview of love is very “skewed”. This, is my guidelines and criteria of TRUE LOVE.

What is your definition of LOVE?

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