FIRST relationships can be intense, passionate and inspire a great deal of bad poetry.
Don't believe us?
Try looking into those old diaries of yours when you were a hormone-driven teenager!
They often say that first love cuts the deepest, and in some ways, that may actually be quite true. The intensity of first loves can often be all-consuming and the sting of that first heartbreak can linger on for years.
Given how difficult it can be to move on from a first love, it's only natural to wonder how those memories and experiences might play into your future relationships. Can we ever forget our first love?
Can we actually move on from that first painful heartbreak and not allow our future relationships to be marred by that one singular experience of our youth?
The lovelorn hosts of Sunday Vibes @ NST podcast go down memory lane to relive their first loves, first heartbreaks — and more!
The Sunday Vibes podcast is on Audio+. Download the app to listen to this episode and all future episodes, as well as to access other great content from the Media Prima Audio stable. For this episode, go to https://player.whooshkaa.com/episode?id=959353.
UNFORGETTABLE MEMO RIES
Elena Koshy, Senior writer and Host
AH yes, the thrill of falling in love for the first time, and the joys of young romance! The beginnings of first love are always heady, head-spinning and memorable. As I look back, I can't help but think how my first-love story reads like a tragic teenage flick.
Once upon a time, a big-town girl (me) moved to a small town up north and fell in love with a young man. It's funny how love could be found in strange places even back then. They fell in love but it didn't last for reasons beyond their control. They were too young and from two separate worlds.
The girl's heart broke into pieces and she left. But as inexplicable as it sounds, some memories refuse to fade with time. The young man grew up, as did the girl. He got married and had a lovely family. The girl went on to have a great career and had a dog. They were both happy — two parallel lives that never again met.
Except that she stumbled across his obituary one day on social media. He left without saying goodbye and her heart got broken into pieces again.
That's the story of my first love. A tragic tale, no doubt. We never do forget our first loves, and to be honest, a small part of our heart does remain with our past romantic experiences.
I'll never forget the memory of that small-town boy, but I'm more grateful for the life experiences that came after that first heartbreak.
First loves are wonderful but I choose my life today — heartbreaks and all!
YOUTHFUL STIRRINGS
Intan Maizura Ahmad Kamal, Editor and Host
I CAN definitely remember the first time I ever fell in love. It was like one of those thunderbolt moments that you normally see in romantic movies. I was only 13 but thought I knew what true love felt like.
The object of my desire was none other than Michael Corleone, aka Al Pacino, in the American epic crime film The Godfather. I remember it all so clearly as if it were only yesterday.
The sudden stirring that started from, err, somewhere the moment I saw Don Vito Corleone's youngest son, Michael, a World War 2 hero, weaving his way, blonde WASP girlfriend in tow, towards his brothers during a backyard wedding reception for his sister, Connie.
For years, I didn't have the stomach — or the eyes — for any living, breathing male species that crossed my path throughout my teenage life.
Kononnya, I was determined to be loyal to my love for Michael.
I vowed to myself that unless there was a male who had half the swag and broody good looks of the young Al Pacino, I wouldn't be interested.
To cut a long story short, that devotion lasted until I turned 19 and was in the second year of university life. Then, the SECOND thunderbolt hit. But this time, it would prove to be more potent.
My first "real" love was nothing like the dark and brooding Michael Corleone. And neither did he have that lethal swag that stirred me. "R's" charm was his sunny disposition and infectious sense of curiosity.
And he was as blonde as they came. He was no gun-wielding hard man, but he certainly knew how to use his fists. After all, aside from being a fellow student, he was also a trained boxer in his spare time!
TO LOVE AND BE LOVED
Ahmad Mustaqim Nordin, Public Relations Executive, Guest Host
I STILL remember the first time I got turned down. I was 16 and definitely inexperienced. I guess some people might call it puppy love, but for me, it was the first time I ever fell in love with someone.
A Malay proverb describes it best: "Siang terkenang-kenang, makan tak kenyang, tidur tak lena, mandi tak basah, berminyak tak licin". It's the perfect description of one in love — the butterflies in your stomach and spending all your waking moments, and nights too, thinking about the other person.
Although my first experience didn't have a fairy tale or Disney-esque ending, I was still happy at the fact that I was able to love. We humans tend to forget that one of our most important and innate abilities is to love and be loved.
As I grew older, I learned that love carries a deeper meaning. It's more than just emotions; it's an act of accepting and celebrating another, despite the differences and weaknesses. Today, I'm still in search of love, but I'm proud to say that I've loved and accepted love from many people.
Love can be shared in many forms. Why not say "I love you" to your loved ones, whether it's your parents, partner, spouse, friends or even your pet? There's more than just romantic love. So, why not spread the love!
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