It’s almost here! No, I am not talking about the rains or the changing weather. I am talking about the millions of hearts beating for Valentine’s Day. Oh yes, just a day to go as star-crossed lovers the world over prepare to express love.
In fact, a few weeks ago at the mall I was surprised to see umpteen offers, colours of romance and the window décor already up, inviting customers to open their hearts and their wallets to validate their feelings to their loved ones.
It made me both smile and smirk simultaneously as I reminisced about years gone by when, as a young bride, I would also spend hours thinking of novel ways to surprise my husband and even engage his close friends assist me execute the plans. Alas! Time and grey hair have made me wiser and maybe a tad smarter.
Don’t get me wrong, I am not against romance per se but the thought of going gaga mindlessly romanticising for one day in a calendar year is not becoming anymore.
Imagine the pressure to make it a memorable, perfect date night in an idyllic setting, aromatic candles flickering on the table and just enough light to look into each other’s eyes and capture some instagrammable pictures? And the expense to make it work. Phew! For me, nothing beats a pure, unadulterated and spontaneous date when you step out with tousled hair, sans make up or any expectations from each other to make it happy.
Many couples have expressed a feeling of emptiness after the big day despite the extravagant gifts, lavish dinner, whispering sweet nothings, et al.
Why, you may ask? Because the grand gestures of love are more often than not disregarded or completely forgotten soon after. It has been proven that women thrive on small gestures of attention and care rather than grandiose albeit one-off displays of love. Like plants, we flourish when our partner appreciates a meal we have painstakingly prepared or compliments us on a new haircut and just as easily get bruised when taken for granted.
So, maybe it’s time for us to celebrate a life of Valentine rather than just a Valentine’s Day. Think about it. When we celebrate a life of Valentine, every day is special. Every day is a reason to smile and feel loved and even without the flowers, gifts and chocolates, every day is a reason to feel appreciated and wanted.
Remember, the only people who truly rejoice Valentine’s Day are the retailers and the hospitality industry with inflated prices for flowers, jewels, chocolates, luxury items whilst also enticing us with exotic, love infused set menus as, they laugh all the way to the bank.
As Rumi said, “Let yourself be silently drawn by the strange pull of what you really love. It will not lead you astray.”
For sure, that does not happen on just one day. Or does it?