Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Be Gentlemen But We Stay Boys; Be Ladies But We Stay Girls

Remember your high school years? How long has it been now? More importantly, do you still remember the feeling of being young hearts, chasing after forgotten hopes and dreams?
I just realised 2013 means that I have started high school exactly 10 years ago.

How times have moved so fast. Back in the days we would dream and talk about what we wanna be, what we wanna do, what kind of person we want to end up to be. How much of that came true now? Do you still remember the feeling to dream, to talk about nonsense and laughing so hard and being genuinely happy?

As we grow older, we learn to fit into society - to "grow up" and be men and women that fits the society norms. How much good values from our teenage years did we held on to, and how much did we gave up to "grow up"? How many dreams and values were forgotten because we thought it wouldn't be "mature" to be that way anymore. As we grow to be more and more suited by the needs of our society, our friends, our family, how much of our true self have we given up since our teenage high school years?

When we were young in the happy days, we were so eager to grow up, to take on adult roles and responsibilities. Little by little, the world lost its magic and fantasies, life became tasks to fulfill for others everyday, and we get caught up in the endless cycle of daily monotonous lifestyles. The innocence and dreaming nature of the person we once were gets chipped off little by little.

But who says we can't have fun even as we grow older? Life can still be enjoyed through the passion and feelings of our young self - daring to dream, to do the impossible, to enjoy simple and silly things, while at the same time we fulfill our inevitable duty of being part of the family, and part of the society.

"Rosie and Tanya: What happened to you?
Donna: I grew up.
Rosie and Tanya: Well grow back down!
[Dancing Queen starts]"
- Mamma Mia! (2008 film)

And that is why we must be gentlemen but stay boys, and be ladies but stay girls!

Take a listen to this meaningful song by Girls' Generation:

Lyrics:
[Taeyeon] Oh woah
Anata to no deai de,
After meeting you
Dono kurai watashi wa kawareta no darou?
I wonder how much I have changed?
[Jessica] Jibun de wa mienai no
I can’t see it myself, but
Akogareta sugata ni chikazuiteru no?
Have I become closer to the person that I admire?

[Tiffany] Wanna be, wanna be, suteki na
Wanna be, wanna be, I want
[Yoona] Gonna be, gonna be, otona ni
Gonna be, gonna be, to become
[Seohyun] Nareru you ni itai, demo
A wonderful adult, however

[Tiffany] Be ladies, but we
[All] Stay girls
Kokoro wa hold on
Hold on to our hearts
[Sunny] Yume miru kimochi wo
Because we haven’t lost
[Sooyoung] Ushinawanai de iru kara
The feelings to dream,
[All] Stay girls [Taeyeon] itsu mademo
Stay girls forever
Arukidashita hi no you ni
Like the days we walked forth
[All] We wanna stay girls
We wanna stay girls

[Yoona] Warattari, naiteitari
Laughing and crying
[Yuri] Omoidashitara afuredasu kono memories
When I remember, these memories pour out
[Seohyun] Donna hi mo, donna toki mo
No matter the day, no matter the time
[Tiffany] Anata no koe ni sasaerareta
Your voice supported me

[Hyoyeon] Every day, every day, hitori ja
Everyday, everyday, because I
[Hyoyeon/Sunny] All the way, all the way nai kara
All the way, all the way, wasn’t alone
[Sooyoung] Tadori tsuketa, [Seohyun] kono basho ni
I was finally able to reach this place

[Taeyeon] Be ladies, but we
[All] Stay girls
Mujaki na pure hearts
Innocent, pure hearts
[Tiffany] Donna mirai ni itatte
no matter what the future holds
[Yoona] Kawaranai mama de iyou ne
Don’t change who you are
[All] Stay girls
[Jessica] Hitamuki na brave hearts
Earnest, brave hearts
Hanasanai kara, zutto
Because we will never let go
[All] We’re gonna stay girls
We’re gonna stay girls

[Sunny] Wanna be, wanna be movin’ on
[Hyoyeon] Gonna be, gonna be only one
[Yuri] Gotta go, gotta go, [Tiffany] wow wow

[Yuri] Be ladies, but we
Stay girls
Chikatta one thing
I promised one thing
[Sunny/Tiffany] Yume wo kanaeru made,
Until my dream comes true,
[Jessica] Akirametari wa shinai yo
I will never give up
[Seohyun] Stay girls dakara anata mo,
Stay girls so, you too,
Sono hitomi no mama de…
Stay like that with those eyes...

[Sooyoung] Be ladies, but we
[All] Stay girls
Kokoro wa hold on
Hold on to our hearts
[Jessica] Yume miru kimochi wo,
Because we haven’t lost
[Sunny] Ushinawanaideiru kara,
The feelings to dream,
[All] Stay girls [Tiffany] itsu made mo,
Stay girls forever,
Arukidashita hi no you ni,
Like the days we walked forth,
[All] We wanna stay girls
We’re gonna stay girls


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