等待你發現我の愛~

我從來沒有想過我會對你愛得那麼深~
還以為我們只會·做一輩子的朋友而已~
我卻沒想到我會愛上你的一天~
但是你知道我愛你嗎？
或許你不知道吧~你的一舉一動我都非常瞭解~
因為這就是愛~
我愛你愛到無法收拾的地步了~
你可以望我一眼嗎？
因為你的那句話我到現在還記得~
你說了一句“因為我們是心有靈犀，一點就通”...
就是因為這句話讓我覺得你很窩心~很有安全感~
可是我就是不敢向你表白~
也許我是被動型吧~
每天遇見你，讓我好想上前去擁抱你~
可是我卻沒有那麼大的勇氣上前去抱你~
因為我怕會嚇到你~
怕我這樣的舉動就連朋友都做不成~
其實我到現在還搞不清楚你對喔有沒有感覺~
因為你對我太好了，也許你對我的好只是一般哥哥對待妹妹的好~
如果是這樣的話那就麻煩了~
因為我已經深深地愛上你了~
希望你不會看到我的部落格~
因為我怕你看到我寫的東西后會逃避我~...
放心我會默默的在你的背後支持你的~
不能做你的女友也沒關係~
只要能偷偷的暗戀你就足夠了~
愛你的我~Ewen

On the full moon night of the twelfth lunar month, the tide in the rivers is highest and the moon at its brightest, creating a romantic setting ideal for lovers. The Thai people choose this day to hold the 'Loy Kratong' festival, or the 'festival of light.' Loy Kratong is one of the two most recognized festivals in the country.

Loy Kratong is probably the most picturesque and beautiful of all Thai celebrations. 'Loy' literally means 'to float,' while 'kratong' refers to the lotus-shaped receptacle which can float on the water. Originally, the kratong was made of banana leaves or the layers of the trunk of a banana tree or a spider lily plant. A kratong contains food, betel nuts, flowers, joss sticks, candle and coins. The making of a kratong is much more creative these days as many more materials are available.

The Loy Kratong ritual is a simple one. One needs only to light the candles and the joss sticks, make one's wishes and let it float away with the current of a river or a canal.

On that day, thousands of people will gather beside the canals and rivers. With kratong in hands, they light the candle, put some coins in the kratong and silently make a wish, and carefully place their kratongs in the water and release them to the current.

They watch intently as the float drifts silently downstream, hoping that the candle will not go out. Its flame is said to signify longevity, fulfillment of wishes and release from sins. Altogether it is considered a romantic night for couples or lovers. Couples who make a wish together on Loy Kratong are thought to stay together in the future.

Origins
Thai lifestyle near river

Different legends surround the origins of Loy Kratong. The most popular version is it was an expression of gratitude to the goddess of water 'Phra Mae Kongka' for having extensively used, and sometimes polluted, the water from the rivers and canals. It is also in part a thanksgiving for her bounty in providing water for the livelihood of the people.

Some believe the festival originates from Buddhism. They say the offering of flowers, candles and joss-sticks is a tribute of respect to the footprint of the Lord Buddha on the sandy beach of the Narmaha River in India, as well as to the great Serpent and dwellers of the underwater world, after the Lord Buddha's visit to their watery realm. It is possible that this is derived from a Hindu festival that pays tribute to the god Vishnu, who meditates at the center of the ocean.

Others believe that the floral kratong is offered to the pagoda containing the Lord Buddha's topknot, which was cut off at his self-ordination and is now in heaven. Another explanation is that it is a way to pay respect to one's ancestors.

Whatever the true origin, the practice of Loy Kratong first began in the ancient kingdom of Sukhothai in the 13th century. A young queen named Nang Noppamas was believed to be the one who made a small boat laden with candles and incense and floated it down the river. The name Nang Noppamas has been associated with Loy Kratong ever since.

Today, Loy Kratong offers a unique occasion to celebrate. It's a good time for people to make wishes and look to the future as they float their floral offerings along the waterways.

Where to celebrate
Although celebrated nationwide, Loy Kratong is particularly delightful in the provinces of Sukhothai, Chiang Mai, Ayutthaya and Bangkok.

As the place of origin of the festival, Sukhothai rightly remains the focal point of the celebrations. The festival comes with a spectacular light-and-sound show held in the ancient and traditional setting of the Sukhothai historical park.

Chiang Mai is another prime site to celebrate Loy Kratong. The festival is known in northern dialect as 'Yi Peng.' The largest kratongs are decorated floats, paraded through the town on trucks. The colorfully lit floats form a long glittering parade as they make their way to the river.

Meanwhile, up above thousands of 'khom loy' (floating lanterns) drift into the night sky. These large balloon-like lanterns are released at temples and sometimes from private homes in the hope that misfortune flies away with them.

The Chao Phraya River is one of the main waterways to celebrate the Loy Kratong festival. In Bangkok, riverside hotels organize special celebrations for their guests. In some hotels, swimming pools are turned into a temporary river for the Loy Kratong celebration.

Environmental Issues
Although Loy Kratong is an old Thai tradition, celebrated continuously since ancient times, the use of modern foam materials to make the kratong has taken its toll on the environment.

Today, instead of synthetic foams, natural materials such as the original banana leaves or even bread have been used to make the floats. In addition, kratong are increasingly being released in small canals or swimming pools to prevent pollution in the rivers. In this way, the old tradition can still be preserved while our rivers and waterways remain in pristine condition for future generations.