On Love: A Speech for F. and D.

Good evening to everyone. On behalf of F.'s family, I would like to give a short speech on this happy occasion. First, let me express my gratitude to all the guests: thank you for having us in this union of not only our beloved son and daughter but also the union of two families. Second, I congratulate F. and D. on their upcoming marriage. If not because of the two, we all will not meet this evening.

I have known F. since his birth. I always remember the baby who gives joy to his family and us. I have watched him growing up and playing around with my two sons as children. Then he departed as a student, started life as a member of the society, and now, he begins yet another journey: a journey in a life of marriage.

In Javanese mythology, one cannot think of marriage without thinking about a pair of Goddess: Kamajaya and Kamaratih. In the myth, the two symbolizes the highest and purest form of love. Kamajaya—the husband—had to die by fire because of conducting his duty. Kamaratih, could not live after the death of her husband, followed the path into the fire, and united with her husband in death. The love of the two transcends death. Shattered pieces of their souls reborn in each of every man and woman. According to the myth, Kamajaya and Kamaratih in each of us will seek each other. They will fall in love and unite again.

This story shows several things. First, love demands sacrifices and loyalty. It is a form of duty. So the path of love is a difficult one. But have no fear! For it is also the same path that unites and gives hope. The symbol in the mentioned myth even shows that this is the power that transcends “death”.

When I speak of union, it is, of course, not only a union of two persons but also of two families. And in our case, it is even a union of two cultures. Or probably even more, for we have the tradition of having multicultural backgrounds. There will be different customs, different languages, and different values. Despite this, we are joined this afternoon/evening and having a delightful time together. How is this possible? I humbly think it is because of the “love.” Love is the power that enjoins differences, and it is a language our hearts share. We may not understand the language of our tongue: Indonesian, Tagalog, English, et cetera. However, I believe we all understand the language of the heart: love.

If I remember correctly, F.'s late grandfather, Mr. W., was active in the Adventist church community Agape in the city of B. The Greek has several words for “love.” I will mention only two, which are commonly known. The first love is called Eros. It is the sensual love that comes from the senses: from seeing, from hearing, from touching, and so forth. This love is the easiest to pass. It will not last forever.

The second love is that love Agape. This love is unconditional and asks nothing in return. This word denotes the unconditional love of God, the unconditional love of parents, and also: the unconditional love of spouses or married couples. This love lasts forever as symbolized by the myth of Kamajaya and Kamaratih. It is to my sincerest prayer that this love Agape is the one being cultivated by F. and D. Even more, I hope we all here this afternoon/evening develop this love too.

I congratulate F. and D. once again, giving them my sincerest prayer and blessings. I wish for their happiness, health, and prosperous life. Selamat berbahagia! With this, I will end my speech. I thank you all for listening. Good evening!


Manila, 29 December 2019 #other