Universally recognised as a day synonymous with love, passion and an overwhelming sense of celebration, Valentine’s Day, celebrated on 14^th February, is driven more so by romantic love. Whether you are planning a date, a simple dinner, an exotic vacation or a quick getaway, the feeling remains the same. The purpose simply, to declare, celebrate and enjoy Love.

Love means a lot of things to different people – it could be passion on wings, or an anchor of trust, Love could be honour and respect or simply the blush of that first embrace, it could be infatuation or ardour, or a time-honoured relationship that has withstood the ravages of time and disappointments. It could be a sentiment, emanating from the start of a brand-new relationship, where each gaze and touch is more passionate that the last.

Or, it could be the love of an aged parent gazing on the glory of the exceptional human that his child turned out to be. It could be the whisper of a mother wanting what’s best for her child, agreeing to let her daughter leave the nest, spread her wings and fly away to distant shores. Love is in the sacrifice of time, money and feelings you carry not for yourself, but for the betterment and care of those that are the object of your affection. Love thrives not in moments of time, but in the memories of timeless moments.

Love is that smile you hide when in company, but the one you carry secretly and constantly. Love is in the things you do quietly, not when it suits you, but when the ones you love need it the most. Love is not only about what concerns you but what needs to be done responsibly and properly. Being brave is love, being modest is love. Humility is love; kindness is love. Showing compassion where needed is love.

So, the concept of Valentine’s Day, celebrated in love and for love, should have deeper meaning and sense of purpose. It’s not about the initial throes of infatuation, where all life is glorious and ablaze. It’s about the endurance, the tenacity, the fierceness with which you hold on to that love. It’s about the care and loyalty you show every person that holds a piece of your heart. Love is about family and friends; it’s about deep bonds and kinships. Love is how you juggle, stretch and make every relationship feel valued. Love is not about choosing or choices.

Love flows. You cannot choose who you love or how you love. You may love some more than others. Being in love and loving someone are two entirely different things. When love’s fires dim in the darkness of life’s long nights, all that really sustains it going forward, is the glow of promises and the depth of real feelings.

The reality of love is very different from the illusion of it. Not all love is a fairy book ending. Not all love is about the person. Love in all forms is endearing. It is the thread that runs through humanity. Like life itself it has existed for all times. Love is the force that can move mountains, heal all wounds and bear raw scars. Love is infinite in form and feel. It can wear you down or lift you up. It can shape the course of your life and embalm your destiny. If the fates are kind, you will love and live in its warm tenderness. But if the fates thus choose you may love and lose, forever changed only because of it.

Love stops for no one, love chooses to wait for no one, for if you love, love rules your world, your place and time. To be loved and to have loved is when the fates have favoured you. To have loved and lost is not a bad thing too. Love can be for a lifetime or for a season. But the fact it chose you is a compliment and privilege that life itself has kind of granted you!

So, in love, be wary, be mindful. Do not let things run off course. But most of all, do not take love or the people you love for granted. Treat it as divinity’s precious blessing unto you, for when the Heavens shine, a lot can look beautiful and perfect. But love, true love, stands naked and alone and radiates no matter what or where it has been placed.

Valentines is simply a day where all love is reaffirmed. So, celebrate with all the ones that took the time to make your life happier and a whole bunch simpler… and particularly special just by being in it! Happy Valentines to you and the ones that makes your world spin!