(Leica D-Lux5)
As the saying goes, "as safe as the Bank of England". Well, these days, who can say for sure how safe any bank is? Not to mention Durex. And honestly, why do we wish to associate safety with someone or something else?
When I was a young child reaching school age, my parents, on any day of any year, filled my life with great freedom not to be found in the dictionary of the present-day hot-housed kids. After scribbling through the homework, I would roam around the neighbourhood with friends. One of the most exciting memories was an adventure with them, after the site workers left, into a building under demolition. Climbed to the top floor, gone in and out of the topsy-turvy units and finally looked over the staircases cracked open and broken between floors, I was much amazed and pleased with what we had managed to find, but left with a disturbed mind in a run of nightmares that night. I was given a good scold when it was exposed to the adults. In fact, such constant dosage of risks and rebukes only worked to make us bolder. Going through those adventurous days gave me a great sense of safety more than such possible dangers gave me scared feelings.
These childhood experiences have been of use to me since I grew up, came into the world and observed the actions of men. I have a good sense of safety in whatever I am required to do, for I am used to scary moments, fierce faces and outright failures. But when I looked around, there were very many people who were desperate in finding a sense of safety. When I saw some company chairmen flaunted their bed worth the price of a decent Japanese car, the privilege of dining in a single-table room at some private club the size of a normal residential apartment and overseas flights to get laid, but giving up every enjoyable moment to the soul, forsaking the pleasure of observing virtue and losing the esteem of his servants, I actually saw the lack of a sense of safety. When I met a lady who had an extramarital affair, got pregnant and ran away with the man to their haven, leaving behind the liberty from guilt, children of both families, their spouses and perhaps their friends, "Mistaken people," said I, "you are not running for but away from the sense of safety."
The miseries of most people could come from their lack and pursuit of a sense of safety. The paradox is that people think safety is associated with material gains and tangible pleasures. Fact is, it is found in not the universe outside of our heart. The sense of safety is actually grown from the heart.
For that matter, safety, of course, does not hinge on the liquidity level of any bank. Likewise, the sense of safety in a relationship cannot be found in Durex or the activities with the help of it.
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