Does this topic need any introduction? The much talked about day is here again! It does not need any history to be talked about. Who cares about history? As long as the reason of celebration is good, we can enjoy the day. We might even forget our spouse’s birthday but we all know when is the Valentine’s day. What is so great about this day? Should we be reminded to express love on one particular day? Or is it really like one day need to be set aside to celebrate love? Or is it like we want to feel westernized that we celebrate it? Or is it just for couples to show off their partner? Or is it just a ritual? I still remember a year, when Valentine’s Day fell on a weekend. I along with my friends went to a fine restaurant for lunch only to find that all the tables were arranged as two seater and we were denied an entry! Well with all the threats that pass around this time, there is high chance for them to believe us as activists.
Why are some people against Valentine’s Day? Every year around this time, we hear activists protesting against Valentine’s Day. They go to the extent of beating up couples, get them married right there or get the guy married to a donkey! What makes these people do such extreme things? Are they really worried about the Indian tradition getting spoilt? We worship Lord Krishna and the legendary love story of Radha Krishna was in our own lands. We watch dreamily at all the bollywood movies where the hero and heroine are dancing at exotic locations for romantic duets. We appreciate these movies and promote them. But when it comes to real life, some people believe that love happens only after marriage. Oh and they call that as True Love!! How is that so? Does the girl carry love as part of her dowry to say love comes after marriage? These are the people who cannot differentiate between love and lust! They believe that if you fall in love before marriage it is only because of lust. Maybe for these people, once they overcome the lust after marriage, they are able to search love.
Then there are this other sets of people who hate Valentine’s Day just because they do not have a partner! We cannot really blame them because that is how Valentine’s Day is being projected. Roses for her, ties for him. Every shop, every advertisement, every restaurant, every street, every newspaper, every TV channel and the radio jockeys talk only about lovers. The person who is single soon starts feeling deprived of something. She/He thinks as though every other person apart from them has a lover and that they are the only unhappy soul on earth. Soon they get irritated. Worse when they have friends who have boy/girlfriends and they make plans for the day leaving out you. While you are depressed about not finding love, your friend will get roses in the mid night, making you crawl deeper into the bed sheet. Valentine’s Day suck big time for them. They would not do anything apart from longingly look at all the love birds celebrating the day. Well if you are really stuck in such thoughts you will land up choosing someone just to have them around for the next Valentine’s day but not lifelong.
Then there are this other sets of people who love Valentine’s day. They are in love. They have a partner. They have cute cute things in store to buy. They have various scented bottles of perfume to choose from. From key chains to pencils, teddy bear, greeting cards, musical box, miniatures everything speaks red. They want to take time to express their love to the partners. They enjoy the candle lit dinner. They look forward for the little surprises their lover will bring them.
But is Valentine’s Day only for lovers? We all need love to survive. Nobody can deny that. Love gives us all the strength and courage to live. When you realize that there is someone for you, it gives an all new you. Love keeps you going. Love makes your day. Do you get love only from your lover? No! Your friend loves you, your dog loves you, your colleague loves you, your brother or sister loves you, your father or mother loves you, your pet loves you, your teacher loves you, the stranger you helped loves you, the person whom you offered a seat in the bus loves you, the waiter whom you tipped loves you, the person whom you made to smile loves you. There are so many people in this world in whom you have seen love and to whom you have given love. Love is totally different from lust or infatuation. Love needs to be expressed everyday just like how plant needs to be watered every day. We have mother’s day, father’s day, women’s day and so on. We have these days to take some time and appreciate their presence in our life, not that it is only on these days we turn back to look at them. Similar way, we have Valentine’s Day. Gift someone on this day as a note of thanks for they helped you feel loved. Give a rose to say your love. There is no history that says, Valentine’s Day is meant only for lovers. Celebrate it.
Spread the Love. Make the world a happier place.