Chip off the old block

As I spend more time with SK, I begin to see so much of myself in him. Firstly, he has soft brown hair that even his female classmates are so envious of.

I used to have a head full of natural brown hair accentuated by coppery highlights. They've all turned white now. Hair colouring wasn't in vogue then, so my unique hair colour made many heads turn. I was often mistaken for a school swimmer or a Eurasian. Once, I believe a boy in junior college had a crush, not on me but on my hair. In the lecture theatre one day, he suddenly blurted out, "I like you because of your hair." Well, he was seated behind me and must have spent the entire lesson observing my hair. Weirdo.

SK is one of the few people I know who admires trees and finds them fascinating. I appreciate the way tree branches arch dramatically over our heads and provide us with shade on a hot day. I can say I like everything about them, from the forms and shapes to the way the leaves rustle in the wind. Trees provide us with beauty and life. Even in death, a barren tree can be artistically aesthetic.

We're tree lovers.

I have not found anyone who appreciates trees as much as I do. SK takes them even more seriously and gets upset if he sees trees being cut down unnecessarily as it also means many animals and insects will lose their habitat. During trekking, he takes great care not to trample on delicate plants. His respect for trees and plants is quite commendable.

Water lilies by SK.

He is also an animal lover. While my love is restricted mainly to mammals, his spans across all kinds of living things, from reptiles to amphibians, crustaceans and arachnids. I bet if dinosaurs are still in existence, he will find them quite adorable too.

SK is able to capture the beauty of insects through his lens.

Our temperament can be alike in some ways. Like the typical Virgo, he's the dependable kind who takes his responsibilities seriously. That also means he likes to get things done quickly and will become antsy if his plans do not go according to schedule. Well, I'm like that too.

Is it in the genes or upbringing? Maybe both.