What’s the Matter with Valentine Day?

02/12/07

People around me who have lovers are diligently planning for Valentine day but some who do not are panicking and start complaining that they have to spend on this day alone. But I have to say, personally, I have gotten over about this day since I was in high school.

Sometimes I just do not understand why a lot of people are so caught up and so excited about Valentine day. Some people are planning for the year long just to do something special for their lovers on this day and forget to realize that everyday is so special when we are with someone we truly love and love should be honored everyday.

I do understand that Valentine day is a special day and it somehow refreshes people’s love but I think the most important is to remember that we should make everyday with someone we love as Valentine day. Like mother’s day, why we need to wait until that day to call her, to take her out for dinner and to say “I love you mom.” Last mother’s day, one of my American friends asked me if I called my mom yet, or if I bought her any gift. I said no. He looked at me like I was such a bad son. But the fact that I did not tell him was that I called my mom every weekend, I bought her gifts all the time and I gave her money every month. So that symbolic day does not really mean anything for me at all. Or like the Earth Day, of course it’s good to remind people that we are hurting our mother nature like never before, but why we need to be reminded to turn off all the unused lights just on the Earth Day, should we treat this beautiful world kinder everyday?

Don’t get me wrong, I think Valentine day is cute and I did a special thing with someone I loved before too. I bought them flowers, I cooked for them (even though it was not that good J but it’s from my heart), I bought them gifts or I gave them a nice massage but I always do that when I see something I know they love, when I find a cute restaurant, when they were tired from work and I knew they need a massage or I just simply miss them so I bought them flowers. So the most important thing is to cherish each other everyday. Show him/her how much you love her. Buy him/her flower when you think of him/her. Take him/her out for a marvelous dinner under candle light when your love is so overwhelming you. Tell him/her how much you love him/her and prove it.

So for everyone who already has a lover, just enjoy the Valentine day, make it an unforgettably special day but do not forget to show how much you love your special person everyday. The happiest love is when we know how to love wisely and compassionately.

But for every single, just remember that love is all around. Do not give the definition for love too narrow but expand it to someone you love like your family, friends, other people around, animals and nature. The most important thing is not to give up, someone you have been waiting for the whole life is on their way to show up at your door, and maybe they are closer than you think. Just keep your eyes and heart open and go for it when you know you have found one. But in the mean time just enjoy your life and wish every couple in this world to live happily ever after. One day those good karmas will come back to you and the next year you will have the greatest Valentine day with the greatest person in your life.

But for me, I am going to spend my Valentine day this year with my friend in Luang Prabang. Mucho Awesome!

Tae Athi