Valentine’s Day, a Day Marked By Flourishing Love, Affection And Gifts Sharing.

 

Love finds those who value and cherish it and it is effective in the hands of those who understand the ideology surrounding love. Love is a set of emotions and behaviors that is characterized by intimacy, passion and commitment. It is magical, when it locates you, the more you hide it, the more it shows and the more you compress it, the more it grows. Love is intense and is only exhibited through our behaviors towards those we love. In the book of Corinthians 13:4-7, the Bible defines love as “love is patience, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self seeking, it is not easily angered and it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes and always perseveres. Love never fails.”

However, the definition of love can mean differently to individuals based on their interaction with the word “love”. This is understood from the sociological perspective of the Symbolic Interactionism theory of sociology. Whilst some people see love to mean an internal affection or feeling for someone, others see it as the world’s biggest scam. It is all as a result of what they encountered whilst searching for love.

Valentine’s day is a day of love where lovers express their deep feelings for each other with love messages or gifts. 14th February is the day set to commemorate Saint Valentine, a priest who took a bold step to curb injustice after Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families so he outlawed marriage for young men. Valentine realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius II and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When his actions were discovered, Claudius II ordered for his arrest and sentenced to death. Whilst in prison, a young lady, said to be his accuser’s daughter brought him food always. On the 14th of February, which was the day set for his death, he wrote a love letter to his young lover with the signature “from your Valentine”. This date has since been set and celebrated around the world where Candy flowers and gifts are exchanged between lovers in the name of St. Valentine.

Even though Valentine’s day has become a day for lovers to show each other their feelings, it is surrounded with some misconceptions. Most persons feel it is the sole responsibility of the male partner to give gifts to his female partner and so, many ladies feel they are neglected when their male lovers fail to give out gifts on Valentine’s day. This must not be the case because love is a shared responsibility and each partner is eligible of showing love to the other. Therefore it is the responsibility for both lovers to exchange what they have on Valentine’s day and not a one man’s job.

 In addition, Valentine’s day must not necessarily be the exchange of gifts only. Some persons go extra mile to borrow money to buy gifts for their lovers on Valentine’s day, which must not be so. Showing how much you love someone goes beyond giving out gifts. One can give a touching love messages to one’s partner which can create a scare of deep affection on one partner’s heart.

In the year 1415, whilst Charles, a French Duke of Orleans, was imprisoned in the Tower of London, he wrote a Valentine poem to his wife expressing his love for her. And it goes this way;

“On St. Valentine’s day, the lovely sun, carrying along its lighted candle, made its way that fine dawn, not long ago.

Into my locked chamber, all in secret. I hope that every February 14th, you receive a special Valentine’s card. But if you don’t, don’t feel left out. One day you will find your true love. That, I’m sure of.”

We can equally show our love ones how much we love them through such touching messages. Lovers must not fight because of their inability to exchange gifts, however you must be contend with what ever you have.

It is my prayer that this special day 14th February, 2022 marked for St. Valentine, should bring unconditional love to persons in love and those who have not yet found love should get the love of their own. To those who are broken hearted, may God mend your hearts. Remember the words of Steve Maraboli “letting go means, to come to the realization that some people are a part of your history but not a part of your destiny.”

Happy Valentine’s day to everyone.

Eric Dindobuo

Dindobuoeric6@gmail.com