Being Eighteen

The recent long holidays gave me an opportunity to catch Stardust in both the Movie and the Novel versions. Really cannot say which version appealed to me more. The movie version was oh so fairy tale like, watched it on a girlie night with L whilst sipping Rose. By the time the movie ended, was filled with this really Disney-like feeling of idealistic love, and happily ever after. At that very moment, I totally believed in finding one's true love.

Then I read the book, and it was a crash back into reality. The book did have a happy ending, of sorts, in the sense that Trsitran and Yvaine did get married, but it was just filled with so many "bittersweet" moments. I was particularly upset at what Yvaine had to endure, all because fate deemed it that she had to be "knocked" out of her place. Lines like "She would always limp, she knew, for Tristran was no surgeon when it came to mending a broken bone", and "She says nothing at all, but simply stares upward into the dark sky and watches, with sad eyes, the slow dance of the infinite stars" really touched me in their simplicity. I couldn't help but wonder whether even though "Tristran and Yvaine were happy together", if she were given a choice to experience the love between her and Tristran versus being one of the infinite stars, which would she choose. By the time I closed the book, I wondered if love was really that big a deal.

Somehow, watching the movie adaptation inspired this - happy memories recounted by an older soul. :)

It was a birthday celebration, a simple one that only youngsters enjoy, the sole objective being getting the birthday boy drunk. The invitation was extended to her as his friends borrowed her fridge to store the birthday cake. Throughout the night, she found herself looking at him, drawn. And then she heard him declaring his affections for another girl. Though disappointed, without knowing why, she ended up spending time with him, whilst waiting for him to sober up. Prior to that night, they had only spoken to each other once before. 

The next day, she went to his room to see how he was doing, and he asked her out for a movie. It was to be a double date. The show itself became inconsequential, but via it, they had their "song". By the end of the movie, she started wondering: "is this what love feels like"? This feeling of contentment, just by spending time together. He brought her up to Mount Faber, and they ended up chatting till the rain fell. That night was her first midnight show, the first time someone every played the guitar for her, the first time she spent a whole night up talking, in all, a night of many firsts. Like they say, when love strikes, time is inconsequential. By the time morning came, she was totally into him, and she realised what it was to give without holding back.

The next couple of months seemed to pass by in a flash. There were many more movies, songs, late night conversations, and also many other firsts. But soon enough, there were things that they had to contend with. Friends, family, school, and in time, work. They managed as best as they knew how, and soon there was talk about spending the rest of their lives together.

As the story goes, love and all things practical do not mix well. As such, there was no happily ever after in the fairy tale sense. In fact, for a long period of time, there were only tears. But as a story of life, there were lessons drawn. For him, he learnt that one had to give in order to receive. For her, she learnt that there's only so much one can be stubborn about, and that giving wasn't everything. Although there would be no more guitars, no more trips up Mount Faber, but in all, I think both are happy. Just as Tristran realised that Victoria was not really the one for him, and that she would be much happier if he let go, so too, I guess it went for the boy and the girl.