Last week, I went to Sunway Lagoon with my high school buddies. In the midst of our conversation, my friend John made a comment that spiked me up to write this post.John was telling that me that he bumped into our ex-classmate Mike the other day. He thinks Mike is actually quite a handsome chap, but his new girlfriend is below par. My first reaction was "What do you mean by below par?". He said she looks cao lao* and a little thick. I was really disappointed by his remark due to the fact that he can say that someone's partner is 'below par' just because of their looks.
*cao lao - hokkien phrase for someone that looks older than they should
If he had said that her looks were below par instead of just 'below par', it would've been no big deal but that isn't the case. I replied him saying "maybe she has many other attractive trades besides her looks or perhaps she is more mature and loving.." hoping to bring out his deeper side but he simply said that his previous partner is better looking. Sigh.
Later on, we went to the wave pool just to chill out and relax. John pointed out a girl and dared Leon to ask for her phone number. Leon refused his challenge and said the girl wasn't pretty. John was surprised by Leon's remark and asked me about the girl's looks. I said "bo sui*". John complained that we are asking for too much. My reply was "I have very high standards when it comes to defining physical beauty but it doesn't mean that I seek for my partner based on that criteria." Leon agreed with me.
*bo sui-hokkien phrase for not pretty
I sincerely think that pretty looks is not all that important when it comes to choosing a partner. Good looks might be all exciting and cool but at the end of the day it is the character and personality that matters. I've met people that have average looks with such great personality that it shines through everything. These people are actually the most attractive beings in the world and not the pretty faces.
Several weeks ago, right after I told my brother that looks are not important, he reminded me that I used to tell him that a romantic partner should at least look decent.
You wouldn't want her to look like this,do you?
I did not deny it but explained to him that looks does play its role but it shouldn't be an overshadowing criteria.
"If a book has a pretty cover, it will make you want to flip it open but one will not buy it just because of its cover, it has to have substance. But a dull cover that has great content might just lie in the corner of the bookshop forever."That used to be what I preached. However, something was missing, is it true that nothing can be done to help the book in the corner? I asked myself. The new me places the last piece of the puzzle by concluding that a book with great content can choose to have a simple but catchy title to do the job.
We all need kickstarts and after that it is up to you to make things happen.
