Lately been busy doing stuffs… *ahem* who am I kidding, okay, I admit, this past one month I’ve been busy playing GTA V. Yes, I know as I feminist I should’ve been offended by a misogynistic game like GTA, but oh maaaan the gamer soul inside of me enjoyed it very very much. I have completed GTA V last week and I still love doing the after-main story activities so that’s the main reason why I’ve been so lazy to blog lately.
But after GTA has been completed, I got so busy with my wedding thingy. Arrrghhh doing wedding preparation while you’re on PMS is a bad combination. I cried for such a stupid problems and come to think about it now, I feel embarrassed.
I don’t have any interesting things to talk about but because I have an oath for “post a week” (thankfully the oath will end on this end of the year so I can write anytime I want again start next year) so I “recycled” one of my favorite post.
Christmas is very near, so I re-post a Christmas post I’ve written two years ago. I hope it brings smile on your face as it did to mine. =)
I did spend Christmas’ eve with Bandi in the church ever since. =)
Happy Christmas to all! Be merry!
***
23rd december 2011.
I grew up having Christmas in my school every year since I went to Catholic school from… err, basically for the whole of my school year, even my college year. I knew best about the story of how Mary and Joseph couldn’t find a home for a shelter when Mary needed to deliver baby Jesus, I took part of the Christmas show every year when I was in elementary, I forget whom I played as though.
I love going to Catholic Church especially on Christmas’ eve just to listen the carols and feel the holy night atmosphere. Not once, I likely to shed a tear (yes I’m that drama queen.) Thus, I received this question a lot, “If you really love Christmas and Church, and plus your boyfriend is a Catholic, why don’t you convert to one?”
Because I don’t believe in god.
I appreciate people’s relationship with their gods. I appreciate my man’s relationship with god. I love to see him praying. I know he believes in god. He has this close relationship with his god that I could never interfere and will never understand, not because it doesn’t exist, but because I don’t believe in god. But doesn’t mean something doesn’t exist just because you don’t believe in it.
If you believed in something, it is what it is you believe. And if you didn’t believe? It will never be existed in your mind.
For a record, no one believe my LDR will work, but ta-daa, it does!
As Buddha ever said,
Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who has said it, not even if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense.
I believe my relationship with this universe and Buddhist philosophy. I believe I am stronger each day because of yesterday. I believe in love and human’s relationship between each other. I cherish what I could feel, such as joy, contentment and comfort.
Everyone has their own joy, contentment and comfort. Some finds in their gods. And a lot of people believe a lot of gods. Why bother to insist someone to believe your god? It’s like insisting someone who can’t paint to take fine art major.
Christmas is an event. For the Christians, it’s the day when Jesus was born. For me, it’s a memory, of my fun childhood, of the warmth of my tiny school, of having an unforgettable Christmas’ Eve Mass with my man before he left to USA, of having hopes and wishes.
He is the only Catholic in his family, while the others are Buddhist. He used to spend Christmas alone, went to Church alone and didn’t get used to having presents on Christmas day. I have a Catholic Dad even though he wasn’t so festive about Christmas. So, five years ago, my man and I went to Church on Christmas’ Eve and since then, I whispered to Mother Mary in his god’s house, “I would like to do this every year with this guy, which ‘this guy’ refers to the guy beside me kneeling towards you, praying. And I hope he prays the same thing.”
The Christmas after was bittersweet. He was about to leave the next week, and that time, I hope his prayer was to come back to me. I was so afraid that it could be our last Christmas together.
Years after that were hard times for us, but having the thoughts of spending Christmas with him somehow got me through everything.
It’s so amazing how memory could make people stronger.
So, this Christmas, after 2 years absent from Christmas’ Eve Mass, I would listen those carols and hold that candle again. After the last two Christmases were spent playing “Merry Christmas Darling” on the ‘repeat one’ mode, buying Christmas card and went to post office and skype-ing and wishing to have the next Christmas with my man, the wish finally comes true this year. (<– I smile while typing this.)
I wish everyone to have a jolly Christmas this year and years after. I wish every wish came true. I wish Christmas Miracles happen to everyone. I wish for more candy canes, louder carols, Santa’s tighter red legging, wetter kisses, warmer hugs and creamier cakes. Coz that’s what Christmas is all about!!!
Can’t wait for Christmas day!
Be merry!
Love, May.
***
Bonus photos from the past Christmases!
Christmas 2011
Christmas 2012, Boxing Day!
Can’t wait for Boxing day this year! Yaiy Yaiy!!!
Cheers,
May, on festive mood.
Bay Travels: The Journal 
Haven’t seen much of your post lately.
Just to respond to your post. I always respect someone like you who can balance the love vertically and horizontally, and also respect others for what they chose to believe in. I often get offended when people asked me to convert. lol. I wrote something like this before when someone questioned my belief:
Let me love my God the way I love Him. I pray you’ll love your God the way you love Him. And the love between us will be eternal. Because God and love are one and real.
Happy Christmas.
Thank you. I appreciatte it and wish more people share the same thinking as you on earth.
Happy christmas to you too. Wish you a christmas miracle this year and years after. :)
Really miss your post, it’s been a while. And yeah, I agree, Christmas is more than just a religious custom. It’s that time of the year when everything was merry and beautiful, warm and full of love (I just wrote about why do I love Christmas on my blog, please visit if you have time)
I am a Christian but I am a fans of Buddhism. I admire Buddha’s teachings =)
Yes, I read your post about Christmas. :) I will always have time for a Christmas story ;)
Wish you a merry Christmas too and keep in touch!
Wow, that’s the right spirit. Essentially it’s about love and bonding. Merry X-mas to Bandi and you!
(Oh, and, even though I’m no Buddhist, I share your ‘theology’: “I don’t believe in god. But doesn’t mean something doesn’t exist just because you don’t believe in it”. Yet I tend to reverse it: ‘Just because you believe in God doesn’t mean it/he/she exists’. )
Well that’s the reversed quotation but I guess we’re free to look in either way. =)
I am not Christian, but like you, I love Christmas. The festive mood, the family dinner and the Secret Santa. Unfortunately, this year I will spend my Christmas in Jakarta, eating rice, while Mr. G will be sipping wine and eating turkey ham in Dublin.
Have a wonderful holidays!
Well, I think rice is much much more favorable that turkey. But adding wine to it, you’re screwed! XD
I really really like the post May, I am actually writing about the same topic as we speak (or write) but I am just too lazy and it takes so long to finish :p As a couple from mix cultures we celebrate Christmas and Lebaran. There was never a moment where religions limit our feelings towards each other and I can say it actually makes it even lovelier. He would take me to the mosque and then cook meals for Lebaran, and then I will go to the church with him on a Christmas’ eve (this year will be the first time for me!). I think it is so sweet when we let each other with our own ways finding peace and harmony and above all, we’ve found each other. I wish you two a lovely Christmas and a very happy new year!!!
Thank you Oppie. I wish you and hubby a lovely holiday too!!! =D
Merry Christmas :D
Thank you, Mila!
pas baca judulnya, gw sampe berulang2 ngecek tanggal postingannya, soalnya gw inget banget lo uda pernah buat postingan ini sebelomnya, jadi gw pikir gw salah baca. eh ternyata ini memang re-post ya hehehe.
wish you a very happy and meaningful christmas may! happy holiday!
gw kaga libur nih huhuhu.
Merry Christmas to you too Dea!
wah bandi kayak gua… the only catholic in my family (dulu). walaupun nyokap gua katolik tapi sejak married ama bokap jadi ngikut ke vihara. jadi kalo ke gereja ya gua selalu sendirian. kalo pas natal, biasa ngikut temen dan keluarganya. duh suka ngiri deh ngeliat orang2 yang pergi ke gereja ama keluarganya gitu. jadi family time.
makanya sekarang gua seneng banget kalo ke gereja bareng keluarga gua. :D
=) That’s a good thing for you Man. =) Happy for you and merry christmas!
Iya yah, Christmas memang membawa banyak memori :D Setelah 4 tahun ga greja Natal bareng, kalo Tuhan berkehendak Natal nanti gw bisa bareng2 lagii.. Yiayy :D
Merry Christmas, Py! =)
Merry Christmas in advance May & Bandi! Gue selalu suka ke Christmas Eve Mass, because it’s so festive and holy at the same time.
Merry Christmas to you too Angela and Diaz! =D
aku juga muslim may tapi begitu natal sibuknya gak ketulungan sok ikut2an hahaha. abisnya seru sih ya, aku sih ngeiatnya jadi kayak perayaannya aja hihi. skr karena udah nikah ama si Matt yah jadi makin ikut2an rame2nya deh
Iyah apalagi kamu lagi di US luar biasa itu festive nya Non! =D
Kak May lama gak main kesini, suka deh postingan iniiii.. Wish you two a wonderful Christmas.. Happy Holiday! =)
Thank you Rere! Hayooo kenapa udah lama nggak nongol? :p
Merry christmas may & bandi…seruuu yaaa kalo bulan desemberr, apalagi di singapore auranya gimanaaa gituu….dimana2 udah penuh dekorasi natall, berasa banget deh
Iyaaa =) merry christmas to you too yance! =D
Happy Christmas~ Btw, elu dulu di Unpar ikutan KMB ga ya? Gue dulu mayan aktip sih, tapi cuman taon pertama.
Hi Julia, nggak, gue nggak pernah ikut KMB. cuma dateng bbrp kali tapi nggak aktif. =)
Ah, I see I see~ Biasa anak2 KMB pada ke vihara Dago tuh. Rameeee. ^^ Hadeuh, kangen Bandung neh jadinya~
it seems that you’re can put yourself well into a “God-oriented” community.. that’s so great thing to be.
Selamat natal, damai di bumi :-)