Is Valentines Worth All The Fuss?

I have a feeling that some of you actually cringed at this title (the sentimental few and the hopeless romantics). It's allowed. After all, we have our opinions, preferences and even different ways through which we express love. However, setting aside a day for expression of love seems a bit fallacious to me. Today apparently is the day when everything has to be done right, the setting needs to be perfect, the choice of music scintillating, the choice of food instructive, the choice of venue sensual and the choice of gift memorable.

Today, people from different corners of the world expect to be showered with love in ways they haven't experienced in a long time. While this is perfectly acceptable, I find it ridiculous that people should go out of their comfort zone just to mark a day that has no sentimental value (my opinion folks).

Today, many things will happen and people will experience different emotions. There are those who will shed tears of joy, others will be agonizing over empty promises, others will be proposed to and surely as hell, breakups are bound to be noted here and there. Humans have mastered the art of treachery and pretense. We say what is convenient simply to suit the situation and not what we really mean. In this regard, I urge the hopeless romantics not to believe every word they hear, not to be moved by the candle lit dinners and not to feel indebted as to drive down the passion road as a way of showing their gratitude. 

Today, people will do things they don't like, listen to music they probably don't like, say words they probably don't mean, and go to places they normally wouldn’t . There are those who would redefine the whole meaning of living a lie. In my own opinion, I think we’ve watched too many movies that we don't seem to make a clear demarcation between what is real and what belongs to the world of fantasies. Others will take a loan and fly to exotic places just to get laid and there are those who will be drinking their sorrows away for reasons best known to themselves. I mean, is valentine worth all the fuss?

I, the son of the retired general, think not. I plan to spend the day like any other. Drink the night away, listen to some reggae music, a bit of riddim and simply watch wrestling (yeah I love wrestling). Some of you will deem that unromantic, a bit awkward and downright insensitive so to say. Cammon! We all have a choice and I find it perfectly in order to spend my night in such a manner when everybody else will be busy living in utopia, doing things they don't like, buying gifts they can't afford and simply playing the part all under the pretext of expressing love.

If you are somewhere out there wondering how to impress him/her, stop thinking! If you didn't impress her before, chances are you won't. But then, the end justifies the means (my male counterparts agree with me on this). Ha!ha!ha! which means men are going to go out of their way just to get laid, buy expensive gifts simply to make a mark(if the age old belief is anything to go by, men and women will exploit each others weakness. Think along the lines of men being visual creatures and female being emotional creatures ahem!!). Good luck fellas. Today is the day where everything goes and you surely should give it your best shot. But then, is it worth all the fuss? I, the son of the retired general rest my case

A letter to my Valentine

To my valentine,

Few more hours before its 14^th February, a day that is supposed to be special to all lovers, a day that everyone (well not everyone but most people) around the world will show their loved one how much they mean to them, they will surprise them with different kind of gifts, they will treat them to expensive restaurants, some will pop the question on this day and some will just be busy with their normal life doing nothing special because for them love is everyday not just one day in a year. 14^th February, one day devoted solely to love.... does it make sense?? Am not sure... love makes people crazy but I will not deny it can be fun too. I am still not sure where I will be or what I will be doing on that day since once more we are forced to spend this special day apart but I wanted to write you this letter just to tell you how much you mean to me.

I know you know I have been in love and I have been alone, but what you don’t know is I have traveled over many lands trying to find love, to find that one person who I would love and he could love me back, that so called prince charming that every girl dream to marry some day. It’s funny how I never knew there was this little place inside of me that could have take control of everything until I met you. It all started as a simple friendship that matured to something so big that has changed my life completely. I used to be a slow champion of love because I used to fear the transformation it brings into one’s life but somehow with you, that fear died in me in a way I can never explain. You transformed me into something far better than I ever dreamed of, you made me a better person and you make me want to be better person every day of my life.

Looking back at my life, I don’t know what you did or you have been doing to me, my mind is not my own, somehow I have forgotten how to think of me in singular and I always think of us, sometimes it feels like I have known you forever. You have become part of me. I lay awake at night thinking of all the dreams we have dreamed together, of all the plans that are yet to be fulfilled, of all the obstacles we had to overcome, of all the good moments that will always remain to me the best memories ever, of how we came to be despite the fact we were all victims of relationship gone wrong, of how we found love in one of the hopeless places and I smile in the darkness. I think of all the funny moments and it makes me miss you so much.

On this special day, I want you to know being with you is worth all the broken hearts and pain I went through to get here. In a flash of all stumbling blocks of relationships gone wrong you became my stepping stone and led me to our perfect love. I feel lucky to be in love with my best friend. We fit in so many ways.  Now I understand that the feelings I used think was pain that came along with love were actually the discomfort of being in places that I did not belong.

I could write a book to tell you of how much you mean to me, of how much you make me feel, but on this special day, and all other days of your life, I want you to know, we don’t have to have forever to have happily ever after, all we have to do is to decide what to do with the time that is given to us. I am not perfect, neither are you but our love is perfect. And even though we are not perfect our love creates a bridge that spans over our imperfections and join us where it matters most.

I love you!!!