Kuala Lampur, July 31 -- There are patriots you see on TV - flags waving, rifles carrying, speeches thundering, parades marching to the rhythm of history. And then there are others - quieter, less photogenic, sometimes not even sure if they count.

I personally used to think patriotism had to be loud. That it had to come with a dramatic gesture: becoming a PGA soldier protecting the country in Sarawak, climbing Gunung Kinabalu with the Jalur Gemilang, shouting Tunku's "Merdeka!" cry at just the right pitch for a theatre performance, or reminiscing the sacrifices made by our soldiers by organising a trip to Tugu Negara. Maybe with a drone shot thrown in for the group photo.

But over time, with different groups of people and many kopi sess...