Urban Diaries Loves You: A Valentine’s Day Special
It all started with an embellished story of a Roman priest named Valentine, who performed the weddings of soldiers who were forbidden to marry. While he was sadly executed when it was revealed that he was breaking the law, his martyrdom became a symbol of love for people around the globe. Now, Valentine’s Day is usually the time of the year when lovers exchange flowers, chocolates, and gifts; and end up splurging on a romantic date.
Although love has changed its meaning over the years, and where we once heard stories of lovers who died for each other, all we now have are news feeds on our Facebook page that tells us how quickly relationship statuses can change from “in a relationship” to “single” and back again. Youngsters breaking up over text messages and sharing their imprudence over tweets is no longer unheard of. That’s what makes me stop and think to myself, what does Valentine’s Day mean to anyone?
To me ~ each day is Valentine’s Day!
My husband, Vikram, and I have never really found meaning in celebrating such occasions. For us, love is all about making every day with your lover special. We’ve cherished some very beautiful moments together without having to wait for a big occasion to hit us on the head and remind us that we need to show our love to each other. After all, there is no point in making so much fuss just once a year only to prove you really love them.
For us, love resplendently shines in the warm glow of the sun that we watch together as it sets with the promise of returning the next day; in the mountain treks where we encouraged each other as we reached for the highest point; in the racing of our hearts as we cycled together on cobbled streets far away from our homeland; in the thrilling road trips where we referenced maps and got lost only to find our way back in togetherness. Going to the movies and sharing a tub of popcorn, or going for long walks, taking time out for each other, and going on dinner dates have helped us love each other in ways that could never be achieved in one single day.
I wake up to a warm smile and a good morning every day, and my day ends lying beside him and laughing with him as we share a joke or watch a funny show or remember some of the crazy things that we’ve done. Mine is the kind of life that Nora Roberts imagines for her novels. Maybe, it is time for you too, to stop waiting for just one day to keep the flame ignited; give your loved one a reason to cherish the love you two share every single day.
Happy Valentine’s Day, Beautiful People!