I NEVER knew that padlocks and disappearing keys would tickle my fancy until I experienced four instances that involved these necessary and, yet, mystical items.
Love locks are a symbol of commitment. Apparently, this custom originated from China, where lovers put locks on bridges, fences, gates or similar public fixtures to symbolise unbreakable love. Others say it originated from Serbia. Some authorities see it as a public nuisance to the preservation of architectural heritage, while others welcome it as a boost to tourism.
In Seoul, there is a place around the N Seoul Tower where lovers write their names on padlocks and throw the keys away. The tower is a popular place among couples who go there to profess their undying love for each other and to lock their “padlock of love” onto the railing, hoping that their love will last forever.
Across the world, there are about 40 attractions decorated with “padlocks of love”. N Seoul Tower is just one of them.
I was tempted to buy one, but the plastic-looking locks looked cheap. Perhaps, next time, we will bring our own solid-looking vintage lock, which reflects our senior years better.
In Budapest, there is the Central Café, which was a legend between 1887 and 1949.
When it was reopened in January 2000, the mayor, culture minister and president were present. As guests started to leave, there were some who went along with the proprietor to witness the hallowed tradition of throwing the key into the Danube, signifying that the coffee house would never close.
I think that is simply beautiful.
When I went there in March, I thought the tiramisu was to die for. The latte macchiato didn’t fail, either. The lighting evoked an old-timey atmosphere. I’m glad they threw away the key, as otherwise, I would never have tasted that bit of heaven on Earth.
In the musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, when Joseph’s brothers went to Egypt to purchase grain because of the famine, Joseph falsely accused his brother, Benjamin, of stealing a royal cup.
He says: “Benjamin, you nasty youth! Your crime has shocked me to the core! Never in my whole career have I encountered this before. Guards, seize him! Lock him in a cell! Throw the keys into the Nile as well…”
There’s something absolute about throwing the keys into the Nile. It’s akin to hammering the last nail in the coffin. Benjamin would be locked in the cell for all of eternity.
Finally, Song of the Sea, an Irish animated fantasy film about a lighthouse keeper and selkies, which are mythical creatures in Irish folklore. Selkies are said to live as seals in the sea, but shed their skin to become humans on land. There is a scene where the lighthouse keeper was afraid of losing his little girl, who was born to a selkie mother. So, he put a white sealskin coat (that would make the child return to the sea forever) into a trunk and padlocked it. Then, he threw the key into the sea.
Again, there’s something very powerful in this act.
Locks and keys represent knowledge, mystery, initiation and curiosity.
What are the secrets in our locked chests or behind our locked doors? What are some of the painful and unpleasant memories or experiences that we have kept locked away?
Maybe, it is time to find the key to unlock the stuff that we have kept hidden for so long. There is nothing to be ashamed of when it comes to past mistakes. We do not need to carry that guilt with us to the grave.
Maybe, it is time to release the greatness and potential that we have suppressed for so long.
Find the key and be set free.
The writer, Dr Koh Soo Ling was a lecturer at Universiti Teknologi Mara and now spends her days enjoying life as it is