John Basho Pou
The other day I heard a group of friends exchanging their ideas on how to spend Valentine’s Day. But sadly things didn’t turn out as they wish it to be. Reason? Two of them have valentine and the other three don’t. And they concluded that it’s going to be a flop show at the end of the day, if they celebrate together.
Today is Valentine’s Day. A great blast for love birds. A day traditionally dedicated to St. Valentine, a saint of love, who was beheaded for love sake on Feb 14th in 270 A.D in Rome. And today Cupids are at their best picking up heart for the heart and love for the love.
And there you are thinking aloud of who would be your Valentine, call on Love Gurus seeking for smarter ideas this time, ponder upon what gifts to give, place to go, song to sing, poem to read for your loved ones. I bet, most of us wouldn’t miss this once-in-a year chance.
For some it’s a day of celebration, joy and cheers. And for many others, it’s a day of longing. A day of solitude and of quest.
But hold on, guys! So what if we are not one of the Romeos and Juliets. We can still be a Good Samaritan woman or Robin Hood, perhaps. After all, it’s a day for everyone, both young and old. Valentine has given each one of us a role to play in his everybody-game and make other also feel being part of the game.
And to do this, we have to take a road less traveled. Do things against the tide. In so doing, we can all make roses smell better, make music more melodious, fill the cup of love to its brim and overflow unceasingly, and catch rainbow for someone in need.
When each Feb. 14 rings in, there is love in the air, so much hype has been made about the day. To save the Indian moral values, moral police (RSS and VHP) have already bashed up few celebrating couples, unlucky florists, and raged down greeting cards shops in Delhi and Mumbai last year. And media talk aloud, businessmen make money out of it, and cupids are getting smarter each year with the change of time and technology. And dark side of the day seems to have overshadowed the brighter sides. Yes, the day has also its own sunny side. This feast of love and its significance would be much more meaningful if we could stretch Feb 14 into 365 days affairs instead of annual one. And it would be more worthwhile if the day has rooms for everyone who want to love and to be loved as one can’t be an island.
Let us be a rose to everyone around us by sharing, loving, caring, and giving one another. To give, share and love has no barriers or limitation regardless of the person or society we live. It doesn’t cost you a thing when we act little bit of ‘Good Samaritan’. I know a girl who always thinks she is not pretty, who has never had a valentine, nor had she given a rose to a boy on V-Day. But there is one pretty good thing she always does when V-Day sets in. she would fast and pray for the lonely, needy, poor, deserted, sorrowful in need of love, care, hope, smile, a shoulder to lean on in their life. I hope this simplest thing of her would be the coolest act on such a day dedicated for love.
Many of us are being carried away by the fact that roses are meant for two lovers, a moment of celebration and victory. St. Valentine let the marriage institution tick on by secretly marrying the young lovers, which was totally against the whims of Emperor Claudio II of Rome. Claudio banned the marriage life because young people were reluctant to join the military service when his Kingdom was down-falling. Valentine defied the rule and liberated their marriage.
When we only pause to look around, we could realize that roses are also meant for the sufferings, sorrowful, sad, failures, and the uncared for. We can also be valentines to other people by liberating them from the chain of AIDS, drugs, alcoholism, and other anti-social elements and habits. They need to live on, as the marriages of the Roman, with love, care, encouragement, dignity and basic human rights. We can bring back smile to the face of sorrow, hope to failure, cheer up the down, help the poor and needy, knit the broken hearts and souls with roses of love.
It’s a family and friends affair too. Taking family members, relatives, friends out for dinner in adventurous destination, visit friends and relatives, have fun, pray together and raise toast to lasting bond of relationship and friendship would perhaps make the day memorable. Getting involved in anything that enhance human relationship on this day, would make V- Day your day. The meaning of the day is rekindled by individuals, families and friends around the world giving new meaning to human bonds and values through _expression of love and selfless service. If you ever want to try something new or look for more romantic tips for this Valentine’s Day, try this. You wouldn’t find anywhere a better idea, much more romantic and memorable than this. There would always be someone by your side when others are dumped and jilted by their own lovers. Be a rose to everyone. Spread your wings of love, you cupids. Strike your love arrow at someone’s heart that seeks for answers in their life. Fly beyond your horizon. And there, you will find thousands of people waiting and longing for your Valentine’s rose. A V-rose that can bring them smile, hopes and wonder, and usher them into the carnival of love.
