Written By Irriena & Rifdi
“Valentine’s surprises are not just surprises. They are heartwarming experiences of appreciation.”
Mary Thomas, a lecturer from Temasek Polytechnic’s (TP) Centre for Life Skills, is not a stranger to most students and staff. Every Monday morning, everyone in TP will receive an email from Mary in their inbox with her weekly dose of heartfelt reflection and words of wisdom. With her generous sharing and big heart, it is of no surprise that Mary would be the recipient of a Valentine’s surprise.
According to Mary, she once had students over at her desk in the office, not too long ago.
“Goodness, your place is in desperate need of a makeover. How do you find what you’re looking for? I mean, your stuff is all over the place!” exclaimed one of the students.
Mary had adapted to the disorganised state of her table. She felt that there was no need for tidying as she could still go about her daily life.
The students and lecturer exchanged a casual conversation about their well-being and recent activities before parting ways.
“Who are they? Your former students?” a colleague asked.
“Yes. I taught them when they were in their junior year. They drop by every now and again to see how I’m doing,” she explained.
The next afternoon, Mary collapsed into her chair in her office. Incognizant of her surrounding space, she grumbled about her rough day to her colleague.
However, Mary failed to realise that her colleague did not respond.
The sight of her desk drew her attention away. She could not believe what she was seeing. Her workstation was unrecognisable.
As Mary sat dazed, her colleagues crept out of their desks and observed her.
“Goodness! Were you all here when this happened? Who did this?” questioned Mary.
“Well, we must say we are happy to see the surprised look on your face,” her colleagues said with a huge grin. “Your students, who came by yesterday, made a pact with us. They cleaned your desk earlier today. Look at how well they’ve organised your belongings. Everything has been clearly labelled so you do not have to spend hours bothered by the changes.”
Mary’s colleagues handed her the bouquet of flowers and handcrafted card gifted by her students.
As she read the card, Mary knew that the Valentine’s surprise would be one she will never forget: “Happy Valentine’s Day. Thank you for teaching us and being our mentor.”
People around the world look at affection and Valentine’s Day through different lenses. For instance, women in Japan make the first move on Valentine’s Day. They offer men presents instead of the other way around, with honmei-choco, a handcrafted chocolate, being a popular gift.
The way this day is celebrated here in Singapore is also varied.
Marsya Qiara Binte Mohamed Jamaludin, a Year 2 Diploma in Marketing student, believes it is a day of appreciation for friends, family and lovers. To her, it’s a day of gift giving, stemming from the culture in her all-girls secondary school. Her secondary school experience has led her to feel especially cherished and loved when receiving gifts.
Marsya recalled a time when she experienced an unexpected moment of affection. Having just lost her grandfather, she was in deep grief when her friends had cupcakes delivered to her.
She said: “It was a really sweet gesture because I was going through a rough time and the cupcakes managed to bring me some form of joy. I just felt very loved in the midst of my grief and I think it really helped in helping me cheer up and get through it.”
On the other hand, Fateemah Binte Mohamad Malaysia, a Year 2 Diploma in Accountancy & Finance student, views Valentine’s Day like any other day, although she does think the love spread around on Valentine’s Day is a cute sight. While she appreciates the idea of celebrating love on Valentine’s Day, Fateemah is of the opinion that expressing your love and gratitude should instead be an everyday act.
Fateemah’s view on expression of love and gratitude stems from the simple acts of love she receives from her family. For instance, she feels loved and cherished whenever her three brothers leave her food without her asking.
Fateemah is a firm believer that love is a two-way street.
“I believe that it is important to treat others the same way you want to be treated,” said Fateemah.
While many may see Valentine’s Day as a day for lovers, we think it is simply a day of love for all. Happy Valentine’s Day to you, our dear reader, and may you be happy and well-loved.
