What is it about the Fourteenth of February that makes every man turn botanical, hunt for wild flowers, natural or artificial to present to some interested or disinterested woman and every woman wants to wear her long forgotten red gown? What is it about Valentine’s Day that enthralls even the meekest and excites every man, woman and child?
Few who celebrate this day have reason to. Few who celebrate this day know its real meaning or origin. Few who celebrate this day have ever known real love, but at least they can spell the four-letter word, and this is what connects them the world over. They never read about the legend of St. Valentine, they never cared to find out about the good old saint, they never care for love itself but… they will do everything to associate with this commemoration.
Valentine’s Day has grown into a phenomenon that touches every aspect of our lives mid way through the month of February irrespective of age, gender, or creed. Is it love that we celebrate? Is it for love that we don red from dawn to dusk? Is it for love that we sulk when no gift, carefully wrapped is thrown our way? Valentine’s Day has become synonymous with a lover’s Christmas, wildly celebrated and even greater so for it cuts across religious belief, but is there love on planet earth? Can we identify with this superior feeling? Can we recognize its presence; can we describe what it really makes us feel like?
We need to work for love all the year round, and for me, the fourteenth has never had any special meaning. I promise myself to work for the betterment of my planet; I promise myself each passing minute to promote universal brotherhood irrespective of tribe, race, age or creed, I promise myself to try a little harder for love to show its face once again. I love gifts yes, but I wouldn’t love to wait until the 14th of February, for surprises stand a better chance of striking at my happiness than unmet expectations and the greatest gift of all is the gift of happiness. Are we happy?
To lovers out there: show your love all year round for it matters most when gifts are wrapped in surprise. My love, do not wait for the fourteenth of February to show me love, do not wait for valentine’s day to throw some gift my way, do not wait for any special day to show me some attention, for right then, when you think it’s the most opportune moment, for then, my love would have fizzled out!