Who said Valentine’s day is all about love? Must be a marketing conceptualizer who does not have time to spend with his wife. Contrary to the popular misconception, Valentine’s is the day on which love sells for the highest price when there are fools rich enough to buy any rubbish wrapped in red. Wouldn't a rose smell the same on any other day? Don’t snow-globes produce music? Do chocolates taste sweeter when it is Valentine’s?
The truth is that, love is not flooding the roadways with red lights and snaring the trees with red polythene hearts, nor was St. Valentine a big marketer who foresaw that his noble initiative would be twisted into a lucrative business. Who would have thought, what brought him his sainthood would become a money tree!
Undoubtedly, there is nothing wrong with celebrating love; but the question remains as to whether there is real love to celebrate. Most of the victims of marketization of love are none other than schoolchildren who attend mass tuition classes. Their version of love is as as vibrant as their love for color. For them, fluffy teddy bears matter. Coffee bar is another name for paradise. Chocolate hearts may not fill their tummy, yet it will satisfy their hearts. Seeing these items of temptation on shop windows one might get the impression that a boyfriend or girl friend is necessary to indulge in such treats. Yet, their definition of love is far from its real meaning.
Roses wither with time. Care bears stop caring and chocolates expire. It is only real love that lasts forever. Be it the love shared between two lovers, two friends or even among family members , it needs compassion, care and commitment to make it last forever.
You need not have calendar day circled with a heart to share your love. You have 365 days and nights to express it. Valentine’s Day might serve as a good reminder for anyone who thinks he/she is too busy to keep in touch with those who are dear and near to him/her. Yet, love does not have deadlines. It does not mean you can love a person one day and hate him/her for the rest of the year.
Love is cozy without soft toys, sweet enough without chocolates and aromatic without expensive bouquets of roses. It does not burn holes in one’s pocket- a mere note, a smile, gesture, touch or a hug will express affection that cannot be valued in rupees. Love is rich. Those who tried making Valentine’s Day a price-tag day for love only made it cheap.
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