Platonic Love

In my younger years, I didn’t know that the term “platonic love” exists, not until I watched “Love for Rent” years ago.  What I only knew about love is the God kind of love, Agape and the terms I usually used and heard were romantic love, friendship love and family love. 

 

When I was in highschool, I was misunderstood sometimes because of my gender preferences.  Why?  Because I was one of the boys.  I grown up with a disciplinarian and strict father and four brothers so maybe, one way or the other, I adopted their personalities and customs, but I knew in my heart and in my mind that I’m a woman.  It never crossed my mind to be a lesbian, not even in my wild imagination, ever.

 

I joined dance ministry in 1997.  I met my dance partner, Shan and we had chemistry.  We had special bond and I would say that he is one of a kind.  He’s good in dancing as he was born a dancer while I’m just a trying hard newbie.  Through the years, we developed a strong bond of friendship that we were familiar and comfortable with each other.  People assumed that we have a romantic relationship but no, just friendship. 

(Mary Boy's Child, Christmas Presentation)

One of the unforgettable songs for us is the “Mary’s Boy Child”.  This was the song where my skirt hem was caught by a stand fan during the Christmas presentation.  How is that so?  At that time, we were at the elevated portion of the stage in Liberty theater and in front of us was a stand fan.  We danced gracefully and when it was my time to travel, I can’t move further because something was pulling me back.  Little did I know, my skirt got caught in the electric fan.  We didn’t know how it happened, but it happened.  When Shan saw that, he dance gracefully in a choreography manner, took my skirt hem out of electric fan and we ended our duet well.  We just laughed at what happened.  That was a weird experience for both of us.

 

I used to call him “Bugs” because his favorite cartoon character is Bugs Bunny.  “Eangkuga” (binignit) is one of his favorite desserts and he love to dress up cool like a model.  He is also a choreographer and the word “seven” to call out the dancers for formation was originally his.  I just adopted it when he moved to Manila for studies and it became my trademark everytime we have practice.       

 

(Ati-atihan presentation at D'Fort)

Our friendship has no malice at all because of over familiarity.  We watched Center Stage and other dance movies in a day where he just laid his head over my shoulder.  After all, I just endured the pain on my shoulder and he had stiff neck too.   I remember also that after we served in one of the Youth Fellowship, we choose to use the dressing room together and we both turned back while getting dressed.  We’re not even attracted to each other as we supported our respective lovelife at that time and we just made fun everytime the person was around.  We exchanged gifts as well, and yes, some of those items are still with me.

 

Years passed, we prioritize our own career but we never forget the ministry that we have.  We may not be a dance partner for now but I’m looking forward to the day where we can say, “shall we dance again?”

Happy 40th Birthday Shan