It’s the month of
love they say. Air filled thick with passion; hearts outrageously affectionate like
never before as we anticipate receiving dazzling gifts, smiles and messages on Valentine’s
Day. It has become a norm, and so prominent an occasion as gift shops are
ablaze during Valentine week; public scrambling for the last titbits of gifts
and artefacts that remain in the shop shelves, with the hope that these will at
least engrave a note of appreciation and pour a wad of everlasting love into
their lovers hearts.
I remember the days
when I started taking note of this whole Valentine’s Day frenzy. It came after
I had noticed how my sisters used to get these baroque, glowing cards that they
used to paste just next to their beds or sort them neatly on top of the dresser
or their study desk. At times it would be a bunch of ‘flowers’ (well, I didn’t
know the difference between roses or any other kind of flower), wrapped in
colourful paper, and strips of red ribbon, with a tiny card perched at the top
with a little red ribbon shaped like a heart tied to it. What caught my
attention though, was the music and melodies that came with these cards. The
tune would always be mellow, with a ‘love’ message scripted on the opposite,
which was the lyrics of whatever tune was in there, but to me, it looked like the
Egyptians had done their part in sharing ‘hieroglyphics’ with the rest of the
world. As I grew older, I realised it was simply pure English, which wasn’t
really simple to an eight year old boy in Africa, back in the 90’s.
I remember my first
Valentines ‘date’ or my first Valentine’s gift I gave to someone. I was in
seventh grade I think, and was animated like a puppy chasing its tail under the
summer skies just thinking of the whole idea. I remember the card I had made,
my artistic skills erroneously put into ‘good’ use. The card wasn’t anything to
be compared to the exquisite, glittering ones my sisters got on February 14th.
It was an economical, home-made card, folded into half and finely decorated inside with
a sketch of what I thought resembled Cupid, the Roman God of Love and would fit
appropriately into Saint Valentine’s Day. My version of Cupid looked like he
was falling sideways, and his arrow was coming for him and not the other way
around. Even the heart looked more like a red balloon filled with water;
conspicuously hanging at the top right corner of the card, ready to burst; or sluggishly
drip down the side of the card into absolute misery.
To me, it looked remarkable.
I couldn’t wait for the following morning to hand it over to the ‘Love of My
Life’; beautiful young girl in my class who I considered an Angel those days. No
one matched her beauty, and I mean no one. She used to make me smile like a
retard every time she greeted me, and I would set off for home a happy lad if
she had merely held my hand for a few seconds that day. Needless to say she
loved it though, and I was abundantly rewarded with a peck on the cheek for the
effort. I floated in Love Ville for the rest of the month.
Well, it was all
part of growing up I realised, as I grew older. It becomes clear that it’s
never glitz and glamour in the world of love, or as we have come to believe. It
takes a lot of commitment, trust and honesty.
Here I am today,
thinking of what I am going to do on Valentine’s Day, or who am I going to be ‘with’.
Hopefully, I would love for Cupid to earnestly shoot his little arrow through
the heart of someone who has abundant love, and that that same arrow may make its
way to my heart as well, and plant a seed of love, passion and togetherness.
Well, this is just a dream, and I will probably sit at home like any normal day,
or sit around with friends while we watch the love birds fly away into their
little nests where their hearts will become transformed into one. As much as
Valentine’s Day is all about love and happiness with your loved one(s),
happiness will surely find itself to my heart on that day, that I am sure of.
It’s 2012 for crying out loud!
This is the month
of Love they say, and so, could you be my Valentine? :)
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