Hello, young lovers

Hello young lovers, whoever you are,

I hope your troubles are few.

All my good wishes go with you tonight,

I've been in love like you.

~ The King and I

Recently, I had a chance to work with a group of young leaders aged between 14 to 17 years old. It was great being around the young. They made me feel young (because of their infectious energy) and at the same time made me self-consciously old (because they use po on you, and they do look like little kids to me, even if they were already mostly college bound).

I was having an amusing time observing the “kids”. One boy, his name is Jom, and a girl, named Elie, I thought looked good together. (Hehe, I hope none of them gets to read this.) Jom is younger as he was a highschool junior, and Elie was already (I think) an incoming college freshman. Still they looked like they’d make a good pair. I don’t know if I noticed their chemistry already before Jom could realize he actually liked Elie. They had some activities where they unavoidably had to get close physically (it was a teambuilding), and I noticed (or maybe I projected) that Jom was relishing the closeness with Elie. He seemed to be enjoying it too much, and Elie was either oblivious, or trying not to appear too conscious. When they weren’t looking, I’d smile at the sight of them. Could I be seeing the birth of young love? I thought to myself. How cute, right? Heehee!

And then I thought how nice to experience that again, falling in love, in the freshest, most innocent manner that the young discover love to be, even if through their rose-colored glasses. Of course, being grown, I know that love isn’t just all that fresh and innocent anymore, and it takes more than magic, in fact, it isn’t magic! (ok, I am jaded), yet I realized that however cynical we can be, we still long for that first taste of love that is promising, that for a little while at least you believe, that it will actually last forever. (Ok, I am only sounding jaded for literary effect. Hehe!)

I don’t know if Elie and Jom will actually hit it off from thereon, though I did notice Jom’s persistence at getting Elie’s number at the end of the session. If he’s that persistent, then maybe something sweet shall be borne of this.

I wish them well.

Be brave, young lovers, and follow your star,

Be brave and faithful and true,

Cling very close to each other tonight.

I've been in love like you.