How do you know...

Today I realized how amazing life was.

No, I did not get any enlightenment from some heavenly body, nor did I do something extreme to change my life.
All that I did was browse through my friend’s photo album.

She had wanted to show me the pictures of her three-month old son, and included her wedding photos in the collection. (which was an added bonus for me).
I browsed through the albums in the chronological order that was the norm: ROM, wedding ceremony, baby; and could not help but awe at this amazing cycle that we call LIFE. (after looking through my friend’s album, what a way!).

When I first knew them, they were a courting couple, very close and loving; he was gentle and kind, she was funny and lovable. That was about four years ago, when we were all working in the same company. Just now, I saw them through their ROM and their wedding ceremony (albeit not being able to be there).It’s just like what people say: A Picture Paints a Thousand Words. Then I saw their little boy on his first day at home, how much he grew throughout the weeks that went by, the love his parents showered him, and proof that he was indeed the apple of my friends’ eyes. I was especially touched by the portrait of my friend feeding his baby, a moment that I have always pictured in my mind (with the father of my future kids that is, not him!) – my future Daddy cuddling his little precious.

It is pretty amazing that in the past years that I have not seen my friends, they have decided to settle down, build their own nest, give birth to their own little miracle, and I believe is starting to build the happy-ever-after part of their life story.
My question is: How do you know when is the right time to take that big leap in your circle of life? To get married, to get a baby, to commit?

In this modern era, you would think that things would turn out smoother than it had been in the past, since we have more money and ability to support ourselves.
On the contrary, due to the higher standard of living it takes more than a chicken and a rooster to get married now!
You’ve got to have at least a 5 digit amount to splurge (yes splurge!) on the itineraries before you pop the question – and that does not include the honeymoon! And to have your own bundle of joy, you have got to at least open a bank account (that should constantly grow) to cover its education, its livelihood, its demands. (later on in life). And you have to get that lovely house in that high security area, because you want to keep uninvited guests out, including your in-laws!?

What has happened to the simple life back in our ancestors’ days where you have 10 kids and you still do not complain? When no matter how poor you are, you still proceed to make a wedding ceremony successful to save face? And in-laws, no matter how cruel they were, did not deter you from staying with them?

Perhaps back then, life was not as complicated, and your status or certification does not really matter for your position in the society. In today’s rat race, even an SPM certification cannot guarantee you a job! (back then, you could’ve worked as a civil servant or teacher!) Maybe getting married was a way that olden days parents used to ease their burden, and take their kid out of poverty. Having ten kids to handle at one go did not exactly give the parents time to find out what was going on with their children ( I think it is happening now too, even as we speak), because I guess their focus then was to earn as much money as they could to feed the kids.

In contrast, people nowadays had to make sure that their finances are in place before they decide to take the plunge, or have kids. Oh. Not forgetting the time needed to ‘assure themselves if the one they chose is really THE ONE.’
And that baby that they are going to have; is not going to change their life socially, mentally and physically!

Really. Are we a generation that think too much? Or are we cowardly when it comes to making big decisions that affect our lives?

Well, I don’t know. Because I belong to that generation.

But for now, I salute my friends, for being able to take that big plunge into adulthood, for bringing that beautiful being into the world, and for living that fairy tale ending now; and for the rest of their lives.