Love In Action

Here is a selfie I took today. As you can see, I look well groomed after a haircut. I have been online on various events and program over the year and I believe I have looked presentable. How did I manage that during this pandemic, when it is unsafe to be in such close contact with people? I haven’t actually visited a salon for over a year now. I am also not adept at giving my self a haircut. No, I didn’t invite a barber home either. How then did I manage to look well groomed over the past year?

The secret lies in a skill that Nazarene, my wife, has perfected over the years. She taught herself how to cut hair so that the children and I look presentable, and I believe she does a lovely job of it. She tried out new styles and methods to cut hair over the past year too! Nazarene has learnt many things during this pandemic ranging from several new recipes, hacks to keep the house tidy, designing and stitching masks. She did all on top of the demanding job of managing the household chores when children were busy with exams and I with work. Nazarene was also able to finish a couple of courses on Coursera and Udemy in addition to becoming a certified Mediator and a Certified Hogan interpretation coach.

As my hair was being cut today, my thoughts went to Nazarene’s motivation and actions. Her primary motivation was clearly to protect her family from the pandemic, but she also strove for excellence. My thoughts meandered further to the countless homemakers who―despite their own challenges―are heroines in their own right. The last year has seen many homemakers learn new things, take on new skills, and perform tasks they have not done before. With today being Valentine’s day, I thought further about my wife’s actions: they arise out of pure love. She exemplifies a quote by Saint Teresa; “Love in action is service”. I realised that Valentine’s Day cannot capture longer and more meaningful aspects of love, such as engagement and commitment. In my mind, this past year has truly been Valentine’s year. As I celebrate true love in my life, I invite you to celebrate true love in your lives too!